Ely Summer Times 2021

Ely Summer Times

Our

25th © Steve Piragis

Anniversary

2021

Contents Ely’s Klown Band Fishers Where to Go, What to Do Arts in Ely Art & Soul Artist Reflections Helping Ely Non-Profits Ely Dining Guide

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The Ely Summer and Winter Times is published twice a year by Raven Words Press. For editorial information or advertising rates, contact us at PO Box 188, Ely, MN 55731, 218-365-3375, ads@ravenwords.com. For a

© Chris Ellenbroek

Cover: Sunset on North Bay of Basswood Lake

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Ely Area Maps Ely Area Calendar Spiritual Gatherings Ely Updates Folk Cooking Summer Reading A Breath of Fresh Air Knife Lake Brewery

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Photos Courtesy Jerry Fink

Klowning Around former Ely high school band member walked into an Ely bar a few days before the 4th of July. A few clowns were having a beer, and one says to the others,”Hey – didn’t they used to play French horn?”

“Yeah , I think so,” says another. Go talk to ‘em.” And the following conversation ensued: Clown: Hiya! You play French horn, don’t ya?

Alum: That was a long time ago.

Clown: Yeah, me too. But I betcha you a can still play.

Alum: Not so much. But I still have my horn. What’re ya doin’ in that outfit?

Clown: This ain’t no outfit! It’s my band uniform.

Alum (eyes squinting to try to make a uniform out of polka dots and a rainbow wig): Maybe I need another beer.

Clown: Come on and join us. I’ll buy…

A beer or two later– Clown: I’ll drop off some music for you tomorrow, but we just have it in the key of C. Alum: I’m not sure I can transpose to F. I never did that.

A

Clown: Don’t worry about it. You’ll do great!

Alum: When do you practice?

Riotous laughter from the clowns.

Clown: Hey – we’re no orchestra! All you gotta do is make noise. Just show up – no practice needed.

Alum: It doesn’t matter what key I play in?

Clown: Nah! It’s more fun than anything.

We’re everyone’s favorite! You’re gonna have a blast.

And so the Ely Klown Band recruited another member.

And perhaps somewhat surprisingly, they sounded fantastic. And they really were everyone’s favorite at the Ely 4th of July parade, that year and every year. Tower, too. But then, what’s not to like about Beer Barrel Polka, whatever key–or keys–it’s in?!

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Ely’s Klown Band got its start in 1991 when four friends who had played together in the Ely Memorial High School band back in the 60s decided it was just what Ely needed. They riffled through old yearbooks to come up with more former band members living in Ely, and soon they had 13 members.

The 1991 4th of July parade was their first performance.

Within seven years they had 40 members and a rather demanding

performance schedule, marching and playing at the Land of the Loon Festival in Virginia, taking first place at the Bayfield Apple Festival in Wisconsin, and entertaining those closer to home at the 4th of July parades in Babbitt, Tower, and Ely. In 1997 they were invited by the Minnesota Vikings football team to play in a team-centered parade along Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis, followed by a show on the field before the Vikings game.

The Klown Band wanted to represent Ely in distant places, but also to bring home some good for the community.

When they received payment for their awards or parade participation they donated it to help out Ely children struggling with health issues. They also

Clowns serenade the throngs at Whiteside Park following the parade.

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The Ely Summer Times

set up band scholarships for Ely students. Most members paid their own way for out of town trips, so any money that came in went right back out to do some good for Ely, and that’s still their practice.

In 2008, Klown Band founder Jerry Fink and his wife were driving toward Virginia when they spotted a fire truck in a rural Babbitt driveway. “Just the thing!” thought Jerry, and pulled in to ask the owner if he wanted to sell the truck. Well, he had just bought it cheap from International Falls and had no intention of getting rid of it so soon. But a week later, Jerry’s phone rang. A few hours and 2,000 borrowed dollars later, the Klown band had a fitting vehicle to accompany them and give a lift to members not mobile enough to walk the

parade route. The loan was paid back within a few weeks by passing a donation bucket. “People love us!”

Jerry had been storing instruments, costume pieces, music, and other clown paraphernalia in the attic of his garage, and he welcomed the chance to move that out and store it in the truck between parades. Community donations have been generous at keeping the truck safe and sound. R&R Transfer donates storage space out of the weather.

Starkman Oil keeps the truck sparkling clean with their washer. Maintenance, gas money, and a bit extra comes from the Town of Morse every year.

The Klown Band has aged some and there are quite a number of former members now clowning around in heaven. New and especially younger

The Klown Band brightens a rainy 4th with their colorful costumes and celebratory sound, about 2005.

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members would be welcome.

Remember–not a lot of practice, plenty of fun and camaraderie, and service to the Ely community. Where else can you spend a few hours being yourself or your alter-ego with no one realizing it’s you?

Sold your high school band instrument years ago? No problem–the

Klown band has a few around to lend.

Don’t even play an instrument? That doesn’t matter! You can ride on the truck, pass the donation can, tease the bystanders, carry the banner, twirl a baton. Everyone can do something!

Ready to join? Send a message on Facebook or call 218-343-1318.

© RavenWordsPress

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The Ely Summer Times

Will Boxes Help Fishers?

Roger A Powell and Michael Joyce

f you bushwhack through the woods around Ely keeping your eyes up, you just might find a big box anchored with cables some ten feet up a tree trunk.

The box will not look quite right to be a wood duck nest box, or even a barred owl nest box. So what is it?

It is a fisher den box. Fishers are big members of the weasel family, with the general long, thin body build of a stocky weasel set low to the ground. A fisher appears almost uniform black from a distance, especially in contrast to snow, but the fur on its head and shoulders is actually hoary gold. Its legs and tail are

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glossy black. The uniquely shaped cream colored patches on their chests and arm pits allow humans to identify individuals.

Fishers are agile tree climbers able to leap from tree to tree high above the ground because each of its toes has retractable claws. Unlike a cat’s, the claws are not sheathed. Fishers’ heads have short muzzles and large, rounded ears. Adult males generally weigh 8 to 12 pounds, adult females 4½ to 6 pounds.

Fishers are sometimes confused with pine martens or wolverines but, with a good look, the animals are easy to

9

distinguish.

The chocolate-brown martens are distinctly smaller, usually have obvious yellow or gold throat and chin patches, and have distinctly pointed ears. A wolverine, in contrast, is a major size larger than a fisher or a marten, has a short tail, and has a broad, light-brown stripe along each side. Although wolverines are native to northern Minnesota, the closest known population is about 200 miles north in Ontario.

Why would a fisher need a den box?

The answer to this question requires some explanation. Fishers are forest mammals and have their healthiest and highest density populations in old forests that have not been logged, wind thrown, or burned in 100 years or more.

Before Europeans arrived in North America, fishers lived in forests as far south as the Smoky Mountains in the Southern Appalachians and the southern Sierra Nevada, and north into the southern boreal forests across

Canada. They were not expressly hunted by First Americans, though the Hoopa made ceremonial quivers of fisher pelts. Europeans, in contrast, valued fishers’ pelts highly and valued the timber in the forests that supported fishers. By the 1930s, most of these forests were gone and most fisher populations had been extirpated, having been over-trapped for fur. At its nadir, the fisher population in the United States was split into a few isolated patches: on the Moosehead Plateau of Maine, in the Adirondacks of New York, in the big bog country of northern Minnesota and east towards Ely, and in the forests of northwestern California and the Sierra Nevada south of Yosemite National Park. From DNA analyses, we know now that a tiny fisher population also hid, unknown, in far western Montana and adjacent Idaho.

With protection from trapping, the development of second growth forests, and reintroductions of fishers to many

A fisher kit explores a hollow log 10

The Ely Summer Times

forests where they had been extirpated, the range of the fisher in the U.S. has expanded. Now fishers live as far south as West Virginia in the Appalachians and the southern Sierra Nevada, although that population is still isolated from the population in northern California and across the northern United States.

Although some fisher populations in the U.S. are considered healthy enough to support trapping, few reach densities anywhere near those encountered by the European settlers. After the trapping season on fishers closed in 1929, Minnesota’s population expanded across the northern forests. The state opened the trapping season again in the late 1970s. Since then, the population in the north has risen and fallen while isolated fishers are now appearing in forested areas near Minneapolis and St. Paul and as far south as the Iowa border.

Over the past two decades or so, the population here in northeastern Minnesota has been decreasing for unknown reasons. The limit for trappers is now so low (two fishers or two martens or one of each) that the fisher population should be growing.

So what else might be limiting northern Minnesota’s fisher population?

Given that trapping and logging led to fisher population decreases 100 years ago, and that trapping appears not to be the problem now, we might think about logging. When we drive around northeastern Minnesota, we see forests everywhere, which might lead one to 2021

believe that logging isn’t the problem.

Outside the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, though, most of the forests in northeastern Minnesota are pretty young. Remember, fishers need old forests. Why? Well, for at least three reasons. One reason is forest structure, another is the threat of predators, and the third is reproduction.

The physical structure of old forests differs from that of young forests. Old forests have big trees but they also have gaps where big trees have died and fallen. The sun can reach the forest floor in these places, stimulating growth of plants. Diverse prey respond to such gaps to obtain food while other prey are adapted to the standing forest.

Research on martens suggests that fallen trees, branches, and other objects on the ground facilitate hunting and prey capture; this is probably true for fishers as well. Fishers prey on porcupines, having evolved unique behaviors that allow them to kill porcupines by attacking their faces while avoiding their

An adult fisher in an old forest 11

A collared fisher carrying one of her kits

quills. In winter, porcupines stay in dens, commonly hollow trees and logs. The lack of complex structure that includes these features probably contributes to low fisher populations by reducing habitat for their favored prey in young forests.

Where bobcat and fisher populations overlap, bobcats kill fishers. Fishers and bobcats compete for prey, such as

A fisher nest in an aspen 12

snowshoe hares, cottontail rabbits, and squirrels. Bobcats are largely predators of young forests with open patches and roads. In recent decades, the bobcat population in northern Minnesota has increased, and bobcat predation on fishers has been documented. Thus, bobcat predation might be a cause of the recent fisher population decrease.

We have designed research to track both fishers and bobcats wearing transmitter collars in the study sites where we have den boxes. Whether bobcats specifically target fishers, rather than simply killing vulnerable fishers when encountered, is unknown. Our project will document how members of the two species use habitats and whether characteristics of habitat affect encounter rates and outcomes.

Our goal is to track fishers and bobcats with overlapping home ranges, thereby noting when a fisher and a bobcat are in close proximity and under what conditions the two individuals might interact. We have applied for funding for this research and have our fingers crossed.

Finally, we need to think about reproduction. For some reason as yet unknown, fishers give birth only in cavities in trees. Martens usually give birth in tree cavities as well, but sometimes make dens under stumps or The Ely Summer Times

in holes in the ground. Female fishers simply do not do that. Consequently, young second growth forests that provide prey and shelter for fishers, but not tree cavities, do not provide everything that fishers need.

Living aspens need to be 20 inches or more in diameter before they are likely to have a cavity large enough for a fisher den. Red maples need not be quite so big, but paper birches need to be even bigger. Standing dead trees have about a 50% higher probability of having cavities than live trees. Forests that are 40-50 years old seldom have trees that are big enough for fisher dens.

Our data are slim, but the average age for aspens with fisher dens in northern

Minnesota is 91 years and for red oaks is 127 years, which means that forest stands that are cut before they reach 100 years are, at best, just starting to develop cavities in their trees.

Tree size isn’t the only quality that matters. Female fishers are picky. They want cavities with entrance holes just big enough for them to enter but not big enough for male fishers or bobcats. If a bobcat finds a female fisher’s den cavity with kits, the fisher will move the kits to a new den when the coast is clear. If her den is not found by a bobcat, a fisher might move her kits anyway. She may seek a den that is not so warm in the afternoon sun, or not so cold at night, or that is free of fleas. Consequently, each

Other critters explore the fisher nest boxes.

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mother fisher needs more than one suitable cavity.

Natal dens have a dual job. Not only are kits born in them, but also the mothers breed outside the natal dens about a week after giving birth. Thus, male fishers are attracted to natal dens.

A small entrance hole allows a female to choose which males make the grade as mates. If a male earns her approval, the female can leave the den and climb down the tree to breed. Otherwise, she is free from harassment inside her den.

This brings us back to den boxes. If a lack of natural cavities in trees limits the fisher population, and if female

Caught on a trail cam, a female (in the box) checks out a potential paramour 14

fishers will use the den boxes for giving birth, then the females should be most likely to use artificial den boxes in habitat that is otherwise of decent quality but that lacks acceptable natural cavities. We, along with Ron Moen at the University of Minnesota–Duluth and John Erb of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, have designated two study sites, one in the Superior National Forest south of Ely and the other in the Chippewa National Forest near Grand Rapids. At each site we have mounted nest boxes randomly within habitat evaluated as minimally decent to good. Good habitat has the oldest stands sampled and has more cavities in trees and snags.

We started mounting nest boxes in fall and early winter 2019 but did not reach our target number of boxes until after the 2020 breeding season. As of February of 2021, we have 47 den boxes on the Superior study site, 40 on the Chippewa site, and an additional 21 boxes at various other places, including Cloquet Forestry Center, Leech Lake Ojibwe Reservation, and Hubachek Research Center on Fall Lake.

Photographs from trail cameras show that female fishers have found several of the den boxes and rested in them. They have also used den boxes for caching prey, and last year we documented a female using one for mate selection. Fishers give birth in late March or early April, and we did not find any litters born in a den box in 2020, but The Ely Summer Times

CAMP VOYAGEUR

A camp for boys 10-18 with water and land sports plus wilderness canoe trips. Guided trips for girls. Located at the edge of the Boundary Waters. 800-950-7291, www.campvoyageur.com

to be healthy, older forests are required.

We do not want den boxes to be used to allow Minnesotans to ignore the critical habitat requirements of fishers and other animals that depend on old forests.

Forest management plans need to include preserving forests that are 100 or more years old.

As I write this, females are giving birth to litters of 2-3 kits. Later this spring, we shall be looking for evidence that some of our den boxes have been used by female fishers to raise kits.

That will be exciting.

Directions for building and setting up a fisher nest box on your property is available from Michael Joyce at joyc0073@d.umn.edu.

© Heidi Pinkerton

may for 2021. If tree cavities limit fisher reproduction here in northern Minnesota, and thereby limit fisher density, we predict that more den boxes will be used in areas with the lowest habitat quality.

What we do know from the approximately 300,000 remote camera images that we have analyzed so far (about 20% of the images), fishers have visited 34% of the boxes south of Ely and 15% of the boxes in the western study area. Martens, northern and southern flying squirrels, and red and gray squirrels have also entered boxes and stayed inside for a while. Critters who have inspected boxes include black bears, moose, deer, chipmunks, raccoons, short-tailed weasels, deer mice, porcupines (who occasionally chew the boxes as well), and also various warblers, chickadees, nuthatches, Canada and blue jays, crows and ravens, woodpeckers and owls, and a ruffed grouse.

Den boxes are not a substitute for good habitat. For the fisher population

In the Ojibwe culture what others know as the Big Dipper is interpreted as a fisher.

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Trezona Trail has had some decorative elements added that amuse walkers. Thank you to the artist(s)!

Ely Area Attractions Locations for many of these can be found on the maps on pages 39-42.

Area code is 218 unless noted.

Covid-19 precautions as mandated. Call for the current status.

Adventure Seaplanes

410-7935

AdventureSeaplanes.com

New air charter service to nearly any place in MN, WI, and Canada (when border opens) with an airport or waterway large enough to land. Scenic flights over the region are customized for each group so you can choose what to see. Call or text to check availability and pricing.

Bearhead State Park

235-2520 www.mndnr.gov/bearhead

A gem of a park with terrific hiking trails, remote lakes, rental cabins, camping, boat and standup paddleboard rental, swimming beach, birding, and a knowledgeable staff. MN State Park vehicle permit required, available for this and all state parks at the office.

Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness

365-7600

Ely is the put-in place for the western and central parts of the BWCAW. Permits are required for day or overnight. Get more information at any Ely outfitter or the U.S. Forest Service station.

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Bois Forte Heritage Center

753-6017 BoisForteHeritageCenter.com

At the Bois Forte reservation on Lake Vermilion near Tower, the displays portray Ojibwe life past and present, indoors and out. One of the best things to do on a rainy day! Open Tues-Sat 9-5. $8, age 4-12 and seniors $6, family $20, veterans $3, free for band members. Masks mandatory, temps will be taken. Large groups please schedule your visit in advance for a discount.

Chamber of Commerce

365-6123

800-777-7281 Ely.org

Information on resorts, outfitters, events, and businesses. State and area maps. Located in a log bunkhouse originally built on Basswood Lake in 1938. 1600 E. Sheridan St. Open M-F 9-5 year round, Sat 9-4 May 29-Sept 25. Closed holidays. Call for details.

Children’s Garden

365-5254

Pattison and 3rd Ave. W.

Children and adults welcome anytime to explore the green bean teepee, tomato house, pumpkin patches, strawberry lane, raised vegetable beds, the rain barrel, butterfly and perennial gardens.

Free art and garden activities for kids Tues 8-12. Call to register.

Dorothy Molter Museum

365-4451 RootBeerLady.com

The "Root Beer Lady" was the last non-indigenous resident of the BWCAW. Three of her cabins were relocated as a tribute to her unorthodox life. Exhibits cover life in the wilderness, BWCA history, root beer making, travel to Knife Lake, and original guest registers. Ice-cold root beer, gift shop, nature trails, bird watching, pet area. Tours, programs, and shopping (curbside available) by reservation. $7 adults, discounts for kids, seniors, AAA. Members and military free.

Ely Arts & Heritage Center 365-3578 ElyArtsandHeritageCenter.org

Site of the Pioneer Mine Museum and the Miners Dry building, where miners transitioned to and from their underground jobs. Learn about Ely’s rich iron mining heritage on their free tours by the head frame. If the green jeep is parked there, stop in and ask Seraphine for a tour. Displays include equipment, clothing, and lots of photos of Ely miners. Memorial Day thru Labor Day or any time Sera is around.Tues 2-5, Fri 3-6. Arts events are also held here, but limited this summer.

401 Pioneer Rd.

Ely Folk School

235-0138 209 E. Sheridan St. ElyFolkSchool.org

The ceramics studio is open! Some classes include free studio time outside class. Blacksmithing is also happening in an outdoor space. Check out the popular FREE online classes or stop by the front window to see class descriptions. Current schedule is on the website.

Ely Golf Course

365-5932

ElymnGolfClub.com

9-hole, par 36, 3,268 yards. Carts and rental clubs, snack bar. Open May-Sept, snow allowing. On S. Central Ave, top of the hill, right at sign. 7am to dark every day. 9 holes $20, 18 holes $30.

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The Ely Summer Times

Ely Public Library

365-5140

ElyLibrary.org

Children’s area, computers and internet, audio books, music, DVDs. Large regional book section.

Summer residents and visitors welcome. Covid restrictions mean limited hours and visitors, reduced computer use, and no lingering, but hopefully these will lighten up as the summer goes on. Kids can pick up weekly activity kits and enjoy online story time. Details on the website.

Ely Recreation Center

365-5254

ElyCommunityResource.org

Ely Wheel Park, basketball court, pick-up soccer in the hockey rink, indoor games, music, snack bar, and more as activities resume.The base for many kids’ activities. Available to rent for private parties by calling 226-5449.Watch for more as Covid winds down. See “What’s Up Ely” FB page for special events.

Ely Steam Sauna

365-2984

127 S. 1st Ave. E.

One of the last public baths in Minnesota, this has public men’s and women’s rooms and private rooms. Friendly and clean, an Ely social scene. Towels included. Closed due to Covid, but call for opening.

Ely State theater 235-6300 ElyStateTheater.org 238 E. Sheridan

Movies are back! Two theaters with classical movies, new releases, and live events. Two film series this summer Summer Classics and Stages on Screen. $5 a ticket (except live events).Waffles, popcorn, beer, wine, and hard cider at the concession stand, which is not restricted to movie-goers. Enjoy refreshments whenever they’re open.

Ely Winton History Museum 365-3226

Ely’s cultural heritage, Indian life, archaeology, voyageurs, logging, and mining. Amazing 3D model of mines and homes, today’s Trezona Trail area. Book shop features local history titles. Hours TuSat, June-Aug only; $5, Sr 55+ $4, ages 6-15 $3, current and past military $1 off. See FB for more.

Embarrass Heritage Tours 984-2084 Call for updated info

Visit restored historic farmsteads where hard-working mostly Finnish immigrants created homes and farms from forest and rock. Tours leave from the Visitor Center at Hwy 21 and 135, Thu-Sat at 1 pm or by appt. Memorial weekend-Labor Day. $6, $5 seniors and 12+groups, under 12 free.

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Hiking Trails

There are dozens of places to hike near Ely whether you want to stretch your legs, get aerobic, exercise the dog, or make an expedition of several days. The Bass Lake Trail is one of the most popular with a waterfall, great views, swimming, fishing, and berry picking. Ask for trail maps at the USFS Visitor Center. The Koschak Farm is close to Ely, offers great birding, and isn’t so much a trail as a spot to poke around with kids or dogs and see what you can discover.

Hidden Valley Recreation Area

ElyNordic.org

Hidden Valley trails are great for mountain biking, hiking, wildlife sighting, and walking your dog.

XC ski trails provide good aerobic conditioning. Expanded single-track trails coming this summer.

Also a terrific place for birding. The chalet is a secluded yet convenient spot to rent for special events–info at the website. Turn right east of Ely city limits.

International Wolf Center 365-HOWL

800-ELY-WOLF Wolf.org

New pups this year!! Observe wolves up close and learn about their prey, and other canids in the displays.Tickets must be purchased in advance by phone or online to ensure social distancing space. This may change over the summer. Check the website for programs for all ages. Open 95 until Oct 18. $14, Seniors 60+ $12, Child/Student $8, under 4 free. Check out online programs, some free for kids! Webcam always available at wolf.org.

Kawishiwi Falls

A well-developed trail goes to the falls and down to a small beach on Fall Lake. Warm microclimate supports unusual yellow birch forest. View an eagles’ nest across the bay. Great fishing below the falls. Easy access by road or lake. Watch for poison ivy and keep the kids close by.

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The Ely Summer Times

Lake Vermilion State Park 218-300-7000

MNDNR.gov/VermilionSoudan

This new park has 31 electric campsites, 3 group campsites, 8 year-round camper cabins and a rustic island cabin rental. The day-use picnic shelters and fishing pier are open daily. More trails are being developed and installed this summer. Please be careful of the continued construction at the park.

Listening Point

ListeningPointFoundation.org

Take a guided tour of Sigurd Olson's historic cabin on Burntside lake, family homestead, and iconic writing shack. To schedule a tour, please visit the website. No set cost, donations appreciated.

Miners Lake

The site of the first iron mines in Ely, this was a shallow open pit mine for just a few years before operations went underground to reach the ore. The lake was created by flooding of the collapsed drifts and shafts. There’s a new accessible fishing dock at the landing. and a second one Stocked trout.

Nelimark Finnish Homestead Museum 984-3503 SisuHeritage.org

In Embarrass, Minnesota’s Cold Spot, 28 miles from Ely. Finnish heritage and Embarrass history.

Homemade breads on Friday for sale or to eat there. Coffee is always on. Sauna exhibit, historic buildings. Open June 5-Sept 25 Thurs-Sat 10-4, Free.

North American Bear Center

365-7879

bear.org

Observe resident black bears as they play, eat, rest, and wander through their natural habitat.

Northwoods Ecology Hall features a 660-gallon aquarium, terrariums with local reptiles and amphibians, and more than 60 other exhibits with wildlife displays and easy-to-use touchscreens.

Cub room for kids, nature trail. 9-6pm daily May28-Sept 4; 10am-4pm daily May 3-27 and Sept 5Oct 3; See website for October hours. $14, seniors & military $13, age 3-12 $9 under 3 free.

Pillow Rock

1200 block of Main Street, north side

You’ve heard of bed rock. Well, here’s the pillow, made of Ely Greenstone. Follow the historic site signs at 13th Avenue to see this 2.7 billion year old geologic formation.

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Senior Citizen’s Center

365-4139

Semers Park

365-3224 x1

Everyone welcome for dinner at noon Mon-Fri with a 24-hour advance reservation, pick up only until Covid19 changes. Just $4.00 for the 60 and up crowd, $7.50 if you’re younger. In-person Bingo Wed at 1pm and Mon game nights for smear and cribbage at 6 pm with Covid protocols.

On Shagawa Lake, this park has a sandy beach and pier, playground, picnic facilities, campfire circle, hiking trails and islands. Indoor event space for rental for reunions and parties. New timberframe pavilion for rain shelter. Follow signs from N. Central Ave.

Shopping See maps on page 39-42 for advertiser locations. Visitors, don’t miss Chapman

Street, one block south of Sheridan Street. Used books, hardware, gifts, yarn, car parts, organic food and restaurant, café, banks, small engine repair, floor covering, and WELY.

Soudan Underground Mine at Lake Vermilion State Park

No underground tours this year, but visitors may check out the above-ground exhibits that portray the history and geology of the area. 22 miles west of Ely on 169. No vehicle permits required.

218-300-7000 mndnr.gov/vermilionsoudan to check on current hours and restrictions

Swimming Spots

Semers Park in Ely; Forest Service campgrounds at Fenske Lake, Fall Lake, and Kawishiwi; Dry Falls on the Bass Lake Trail; Fall Lake at the bottom of Kawishiwi Falls (watch for poison ivy), the Longbranch in Winton. There are no lifeguards. Good biking to most of these spots.

Tofte Lake Center

TofteLake.com

Artists on creative retreats and dance or theater company residencies fill the cabins and studio space here each summer. Public programs limited for this summer. If you need creative space in a northwoods setting, check out the website and plan a visit next year. 2209 Fernberg Road

Trezona Trail

Four miles for biking or hiking within the city limits. Goes through historic mine sites around Miners Lake. Interpretive signs explain some of Ely’s mining history. Spurs to Int’l Wolf Center, USFS, and VCC. Good berry-picking. Dogs welcome, but clean up after them!

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The Ely Summer Times

Vermilion Mail Boat 753-4190

AronsonBoatWorks.com

Ride along on the mail delivery route that covers 80 miles of scenic Lake Vermilion and includes 105 water-access only mail boxes. The driver is a knowledgeable local who can give a history lesson and share other information about the lake and its residents. Reservations recommended.

Dress for the weather! Adults $20 Kids 12 and under $12. 9 am Mon-Sat. June 1-Labor Day.

U.S. Forest Service Visitor Center 365-7600

Recreation.gov

Vermilion Community College

VCC.edu

The only service for this summer will be BWCAW permit pick-up. Permit holders must watch the educational video online before picking up the permit. 1393 Hwy 169.

365-7200

The “Boundary Waters College” offers traditional liberal arts curriculum and specialized degrees and certifications in Natural Resources, Outdoor Education, Vet Tech, Forestry, Wildland Law Enforcement, Watershed Science, Emergency Medicine, and more. Stop in for a free tour.

Vermilion Range Trap Club

365-6036

Join local sports shooters at this shooting range. Trap and skeet are available at the clubhouse 5 to dark Wednesdays and 1-3 pm Sundays. Special events are held through the summer. Visitors and newcomers always welcome. Check their Facebook page for more info and updates.

Whiteside Park

Located in the middle of town, this is the site of many summer events including Blueberry Festival, Harvest Moon, and Farmers and Artists Market. Playground, gardens, the Ely Greenstone sculpture, band shell, restrooms, scribed-log pavilion, and plenty of space for Frisbee games.

More contributions to brighten Trezona Trail walks. Check out the Chalk Festival Aug 14th 2021

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ART in ELY WALLS & SHELVES Art & Soul Gallery 427 E Sheridan Street Art by Abbey 545 E Sheridan Street The Brandenburg Gallery 11 E Sheridan Street Crapola 402 E Sheridan Street Fernberg Art Gallery 2267 Fernberg Road Front Porch Coffee & Tea Co. 343 E Sheridan Street Kekekabic Studio 118 E Chapman Street Mealey’s Gift Shop 124 N Central Avenue Ornamental Hermit Studio 132 N 1st Avenue E

ORGANIZATIONS The Art Corner 301 W. Sheridan Street Arts in Ely ArtsInEly.org Ely Art Walk ElyArtWalk.org Ely Arts & Heritage ElyArtsandHeritageCenter.org Ely Photographic Collaborative Find it on Facebook Ely Folk School 209 E. Sheridan Street Gardner Humanities Trust GardnerTrust.org Northern Lakes Arts Assn.

NorthernLakesArts.org Tofte Lake Center TofteLake.org

ARTISTS’ WEBSITES Chris Koivisto Ceramics ElyArt.com

Eric Sherman Photography EricShermanImages.com

Heidi Pinkerton RootRiverPhotography.com Roy Misonznick Images ElyPix.com

© Kahsha Hyde

Sharee Johnson Jewelry ShareeJohnsonJewelry.com

Above: Hardwood Infused with Turquoise, Michael and Kathy Brennan, Art & Soul Gallery

Walls and websites are visual arts. For a listing of all Ely arts see the Directory at ArtsinEly.org.

Sign up for the newsletter, create a free listing if you are an Ely area artist, and make donations at the website. For current arts happenings and news, visit the Arts in Ely Facebook page.

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The Ely Summer Times

A World Class Gallery with Small Town Benefits any people, with plans for a more secluded and serene lakeshore lifestyle, have moved to the Ely area from a big-city, high-powered job.

Pamela Davis imagined that future for herself, spending time creating the art that had always taken a back seat to her corporate position. So she was enthralled to find a gallery in Ely where she could display and sell her handwoven tapestries and baskets, jewelry, and collages. She never dreamed that in three years she would own both the gallery and the building.

She has also remodeled the space, created an Artist Den exhibition and meeting room, expanded the collection, and furthered a business plan,

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developed by founder Nancy Scheibe, that favors local artists in ways not found in other galleries.

Art & Soul Gallery and Gift House displays the work of more than 20 artists who live and work within 30 miles of Ely. They pay “rent” for their wall space, which is critical to the business remaining open year round, but receive a much larger commission on sales than is traditional.

In summer, the artists change their offerings monthly, giving the displays a fresh look, and new artist members are added regularly, enticing browsers to return often to see the new works.

Ely attracts many world travelers and art appreciators. “I’ve been to art

25

galleries all over the world,” said one such visitor. “And I’ve never seen any other gallery with such quality art in such a welcoming, friendly place. And the prices are so reasonable!”

Pamela loves offering a world class experience with grassroots prices. For local residents it also serves as an art museum. Anyone is welcome to just browse and admire the creative work of their neighbors. The variety of media is fascinating: the largest note card selection in town, all by local artists; ceramics from large serving bowls to little spoon holders, some made with local clay; woodworking inlaid with turquoise–one of the most popular collections; remarkable photos of the area; locally published children’s books; hand-sewn functional fabric art; beautifully detailed beadwork; unique jewelry pieces; and of course paintings in a variety of styles and materials.

An open house from 3-5pm on the first Saturday each month marks the beginning of one artist’s featured exhibition. (See the Calendar on pgs 4449 for this summer’s schedule.) Here is what some of the artists have to say about living and working in the Ely area.

Waterfall in Spring

Daina Antanaitis The natural world Inspiration for my art Enjoyment for all Color, sound and smell Saturate my heart and mind Hands bring thoughts to life Joy in expressing beauty around me Beading heals my heart.

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The Ely Summer Times

Hand-woven, hand-dyed Baskets Upon entering the forest one becomes interwoven with threads of light and energy.

Pamela Davis

I create visual images of the feelings I experience deep in the woods. These images are interpreted in my pieces of art.

Nancy Hernesmaa My love of our canoe country allows my passion for pottery to develop creatively as I harvest and hand process indigenous clay. Digging my material gives value to what emerges from our region and encourages my thoughtful engagement. There is a richness to the color and texture of local clay that affects my design decisions.

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Linda Trapkus

I live and work here in the north woods–a place of endless inspiration for me. I consider myself a production potter and enjoy offering my mugs at many Ely businesses. My hope is to offer a bit of the northwoods for visitors and residents to take home and use for many years.

Michael and Kathy Brennan

We are a collaborative team blending ideas and concepts that reflect our experiences living in diverse environments throughout this country. Native American art and culture, as well as our natural world, especially influence us.

Joan Schopp Hunn

I am fascinated by texture, pattern, and process at a small scale in the natural world. I hike and explore the wild beauty of the Ely Area with my camera in hand, while also collecting plants and rocks. Back in the studio, I experiment with making plant dyes, harvesting fibers, and processing rocks into colored pigments. I use these materials to further explore the natural world by creating textile compositions based on my photographs.

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The Ely Summer Times

Nancy Scheibe For me, nature is the foundation of everything. Spirituality wells up from it. It’s a source of food, enjoyment, and it replenishes me when nothing else can. The north woods has been a huge source of inspiration for me. Watching the interactions between water and land, between animals and people, I’m reminded of the virtues of simplicity and how the changing seasons reflect our ever-changing lives. I find this nowhere else.

Nancy Ensley

We are fortunate to live in woods surrounded by nature and inspiration. Painting what is there that I love and know helps me reach my goal of putting movement and emotion in my paintings.

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Autumn Cole My fabric art reflects my appreciation for Ely’s wilderness. My life here among the lakes, forests, and wildlife while canoeing, bicycling, swimming, and skiing feeds my soul and inspires my creativity. I love to sew practical and colorful items with north woods fabrics that reflect the beauty of this magnificent area. What could be better than listening to the soft hum of my sewing machine while looking out my window to see deer walking past the stately pines under a stunningly blue sky? Bliss!

Chuck Dayton Our little lake is a perfect photo gallery. Loons, eagles, sunsets, storms, auroras, water lilies, and clear night skies are all available a few steps out the door. I use a peddle kayak that enables me to have my hands on the camera. Editor’s note: Chuck’s photos illustrate his book, Secrets of the Loon, about the first summer of a loon chick.

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The Ely Summer Times

Open House at Art & Soul Gallery & Gift House First Saturday of the month, 1-3 pm Refreshments Meet the Artists View the new exhibitions each month

Twenty years ago when my husband and I were vacationing in the Ely area we felt the stress of the cities wash away as soon as we could see the Ely water tower. That sense of peace and calm remains now that we are residents and it helps fuel my inspiration for my work.

Sandy Brandley

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Roy Misonznick There seems to be a 20-mile circle of magical energy surrounding Ely. I feel it, and many people I’ve asked feel it as well. As an evocative digital image creator, I am thankful for living and working here with this energy along with all of our lakes, streams, trees, and wildlife to use as subject matter.

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Our area awakens many emotions and dreams in myself and perhaps others as well. The wilderness, with its peace, quiet, and solitude, reinforces my primal need for such things. I strive to capture the energy of fresh air, clean water, and seemingly endless forests that so many humans crave. Ely is a great place for me to achieve this goal.

The Ely Summer Times

100+ Women Make Ely a Better Place lenty of people have moved to Ely in recent years, and with them have come plenty of good ideas that benefit Ely in many ways. One of the best ideas came with Chris Chandler when she and her husband moved here from Texas.

There Chris was part of a 100 Women Who Care group. 100 Who Care is a concept born in 2006 when an administrator of a family health facility was told about the need for cribs for new mothers who didn’t have the money to purchase one. Babies were sleeping in boxes and dresser drawers, many in unsafe spaces. It would cost about $10,000 to buy and distribute the cribs.

The need was immediate, and the administrator didn’t want to take the time to go through a board of directors and write grants. She had 10 friends and asked them to each find 10 friends who would donate $100 each. Within a few days she had more than $12,000 to buy cribs. And so 100 Who Care was started and now has nearly 1,000 active groups worldwide.

Chris told this story to some of her Ely women friends, and in April 2017 100+ Ely Women Who Care held its first gathering. Nearly $7,000 was raised and donated to Northern Lakes Arts

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Association, allowing them to open a pop-up gallery for the summer, selling the work of local artists. The following November, Ely Community Resource was able to staff and improve the Ely Rec Center with another donation of about $7,000.

100+ Ely Women Who Care has grown to well over 100 women and at this point has donated close to $65,000 to support Ely non-profits. Having to Zoom detracted a bit from the fun of inperson gatherings, but didn’t dampen the generosity.

Chris has carried the group forward all this time, and the group is now

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Inspirational signs decorate the meetings

seeking new leadership. With Covid restrictions diminishing, in-person gatherings are likely to resume with October’s scheduled event. Plenty of volunteers step up to help with festive, but not truly necessary, table decorations as well as registration, vote counting, and potluck snack organizing. The leader is responsible for facilitating the process of nomination, which is not a big deal. Like many groups of women, 100+ Ely Women pretty much moves forward without any one person having to work too hard. If you’d be interested in getting involved, as part of the leadership team or just as a participant, contact info@100ElyWomenWhoCare.org.

Whether virtual or in person, 100+ gatherings are attended by all ages–a great place to meet others.

34 The Ely Summer Times

Ely Dining Guide

The deck at Stony Ridge

Hours vary through the season, call or check FaceBook. (Area Code is 218) Check menus for most places on their websites or FB. Price ranges are for a meal. C: children’s menu, V: vegetarian meals, # is location on the maps, pages 39-42. Mandated Covid19 precautions will be in effect, and most places have take-out and even curbside delivery if you request it.

The Boathouse

Ely’s only brewery also serves seasonal brews and tasty food in the family dining room or bar. Start with a specialty appetizer then fill up on pulled pork or brisket sandwiches piled high, meal-size salads, and specialty burgers. Beer in growlers to go and BW containers. Big TVs for sports. Full bar. 47 E. Sheridan St., 365-4301 $11-16, C V

Britton’s Cafe

Open at 5:30 am all summer, this is the place to get a breakfast that will fill you up for a full day of fishing, paddling, or chasing the kids around. Lots of omelet choices, stuffed hashbrowns, pancakes and waffles. Lunch specials and homemade soups. A favorite spot with Ely locals. Closes 1:30 pm. B’fast served all day. 5 E Chapman St, 365-3195 $5-14 C V

Chocolate Moose It’s back!! Dine inside or on the spacious porch. If you have a sweet tooth for breakfast, try their house-made pastries or liege waffles-extra rich with crunchy bits of sweetness inside. Pastries and coffee to go every morning, dine-in breakfast and lunch Wed-Sun, dinner Fri-Sun. 101 N. Central Ave, 218-504-5555. $10-15 C V

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Grab Something Quick Dairy Queen Log Cabin Coffee Northland Deli Red Cabin Custard Subway Zug Deli

1441 E Sheridan 1340 E Sheridan 1230 E Sheridan 1114 E Sheridan 1520 E Sheridan 303 E Sheridan

Crapola

Did you have a crappo morning? If not yet, stop on in and add some healthy fiber to your diet with locally made, mostly organic granola, yogurt parfaits, smoothies, cookies, and fair-trade coffee. Buy extra for gifts in pun-filled packaging. Bumper stickers and T-shirts too. New location 402 E. Sheridan, 235-6161 $5-8 V #89

Ely Steak House Steak dinners, walleye, seafood, chicken, and French onion soup prepared to perfection. Prime rib on Fri and Sat. Senior discounts. More than 1/2 a million Bucky Burgers have sold–the most popular burger in Ely. Generous servings. 216 E Sheridan, 365-7412 $12-$40. C V #73

Evergreen Restaurant & Antlers Lounge at Grand Ely Lodge.

Sunset view of Shagawa Lake on the deck for bar or dining. Extensive dinner menu, b’fast and lunch specials, light dinners and appetizers. Pasta specialties, salads, walleye, and steaks. Open 365 days a year. 400 N Pioneer Rd, 365-6875 for reservations and take-out. $10-26 C V #37

Front Porch Coffee & Tea Co

Open daily at 7 am, this is the place for organic coffee, espresso drinks, chai, and fair-trade teas–hot or iced. Also wraps, burritos, soup, salads, quiche, and delicious desserts. Browse area newspapers, use the book exchange. Kids’ area with toys. Indoor or outdoor seating. 343 E Sheridan St, 365-BEAN $5-8 C V #88

Gators Grilled Cheese Emporium Comfort foods and healthy alternatives, homemade pizza, hot turkey sandwiches, burger specials, and salads. Little Free Library inside and a toy train to entertain fidgety patrons. Very popular spot; come early or late for faster seating. Sunny deck or cozy fireplace. 955 E. Sheridan St, 365-7348 $7-16. C V #40 Insula Restaurant

This popular dining spot serves many locally-sourced and organic ingredients in the New American cuisine from breakfast to dinner. Featured plates daily.

Expand your palate with fresh flavor blends, or choose old favorites. Casual-dining ambience.

Specialty cocktails, beer, and wine. Open Tues-Sat. 145 E. Sheridan St, 365-4855 $9-32 C V #82 36

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The Ely Summer Times

Northern Grounds Coffee and wine bar. Espresso, single-origin coffee roasted on site, tea, chai, and mocha. 50+ by-the-glass fine wines, craft beers, and specialty cocktails on tap.

Wine Society on Wed, 6 pm. Register @thenortherngrounds.com. Charcuterie, fresh-baked breads and pastries, smoothies, soup and sandwiches. 2 W. Sheridan St.. 365-6162 $5-8 V #64 Organic Roots

Natural Food Market with organic local foods ready to go or enjoy in the intimate lunch setting. Seasonal menu changes daily with vegan options. Flatbread specials, gourmet soups, salads, sandwiches. Deli counter with wraps, salads, and healthy baked goods.

Organic wine and beer. Open every day in summer. 141 E. Chapman St. 365-2799 $5–16 V #78

Oriental Orchid More than 100

authentic Vietnamese and Chinese menu items for take-out or eat-in. Weekday lunch specials and dinner combinations for 2, 3, or 4. Curries, spring rolls, wonton or egg drop soup, sweet and sour entrees, seafood dishes, and much more. Their specialty is soft rice noodles. Call for faster service. 506 E. Sheridan St, 365-7502 $9-$19 V

RockWood Enjoy the full bar, appetizers, burgers, smoked meats, soups, and other inhouse creations on the expansive covered patio, or take your meal to go. Happy hour 3-5 pm.

14 craft beers on tap, signature cocktails, and wine by the glass or bottle. Dogs allowed on the dog-friendly section of the patio. Open 3 pm. 302 E Sheridan, 365-7772 $8-20. C V Sir G’s

Italian cuisine at one of Ely’s most popular dining spots. The pasta is made by hand right there, and they season their own meat for flavorful fillings and delicious meatballs. Plenty of pizza options. Expanded appetizer menu with wings.Save room for the Italian desserts. Wine and beer. Take-out (call ahead). 520 E Sheridan, 365-3688 $10-19 C V

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Stony Ridge This restaurant provided free meals this past winter so no one in Ely would have to go hungry. Ely’s biggest burger selection (50 kinds!) plus lots of appetizers, pan-fried walleye, chili, salads, full bar. Enjoy their specialty–a refreshing strawberry mango Margarita. Now open every day. Bring your appetite! Lovely patio. 60 N. Laneview, 235-9441 $13-40. C

Wilderness WoodFire Pizza Specialty combos or create your own with their variety of toppings. For dessert have a large Woodfield chocolate chip cookie! Tuesdays at the Farmers Market, Friday and Saturday 4-9 pm around Ely, usually Whiteside or across from the Ely State Theater. Call in orders for faster service. 235-8752 $5-25 V

Winton Road House We couldn’t reach these folks before press time, but we think they plan to be open this summer. Head to Winton to enjoy meal-sized pretzels, their signature Bloody Mary, and whatever else the new owners decide on. Big TVs for sports, darts and pool, and a juke box with a good selection of oldies. 252 Main St., Winton, 365-3339

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Downtown Area

Camp St. 61

63

69

62

65

82 83 84 85

87

88 95 94

92 Sheridan St.

Central Av.

3rd Av W

76 77 99

Whiteside Park

70

96

81 Chapman St. 80 98

3rd Av E

72 75 71 74 79 78

89 91

Harvey St. 90 97

60 Conan St.

School

Memorial Field

73 86

68 64

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The Art Corner Art & Soul Gallery Brandenburg Gallery Canoe Capital Realty Crapola Chapman Street Books Children’s Garden City Hall/Police/Fire Ely Area Food Shelf Ely Comma Heth Free Clinic Ely Community Resource Ely Farmers Market Ely Folk School Ely Historic State Theater Ely Outfitting Company Ely Steak House Ely Public Library

61 94 65 83 89 78 66 81 60 90 90 96 84 86 92 73 80

Ely Surplus Store Evergreen Cottage Front Porch Coffee and Tea Gardner Trust Gracie’s Plant Works Healthy Families Chiropractic Heavy Metal Sports Insula Restaurant J & L Hardware Jake Foreman Memorial JC Mills Joe Marine Kondo Outdoors Kekekabic Studios Ely Liquor Mealey’s Gift & Sauna Minnesota Canoe Museum

63 77 88 81 68 75

71 82 76 81 86 70 78 76 91 69 84

Northern Grounds Organic Roots Bistro The Pebble Spa Piragis Northwoods Co Post Office Potluck Kitchen Store Prairie Fire Tobacco Senior Center Sissu Yarn Shop Save the Boundary Waters State Farm Insurance Washington Auditorium WELY Wildlife Liquor Wintergreen Women’s Wild Discovery Zup’s Grocery

Little Free Libraries are available for taking or donating books.

64 78 85 62 98 79 79 99 70 73 74 97 78 72 83 94 87

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Public Landing

Shagawa Lake

37 36

Tre z

Tr ai

Pioneer Rd

l

N

a on

Public Landing

Miners Lake

N r St. Chandle W.Shagawa Rd.

r. r’s D Mine 35

N

Madison St. Camp St. 41

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Conan St. Hospital 31 & Clinic

12 Ave

10 Ave

Harvey St.

43 8 Ave

Chapman St.

Whiteside

Sheridan St.

1st E

1st W

Central Av

30

2nd W

3rd W

See Detailed Downtown Map on Page 42

Hwy 169 to Tower

Q Main St.

Washington St.

6 Ave

Semers Park

P

39 School

White St. 66 Pattison St.

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James St. 33 Golf Course

Boundary St. Wilson St.

Beacon Hill Hwy 21 to Babbitt

Arrowhead Outdoors Children’s Garden Dorothy Molter Museum Ely Area Tourism Ely-Bloomington Hops./Clinic Ely Chamber of Commerce Ely Community Pharmacy Ely Golf Club House Ely Arts & Heritage Center Ely Ice Arena Ely Lodging

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52 66 49 47 31 47 31 33 36 38 42

Reach thousands of Ely visitors, residents, and cabin owners with your ad in The Ely Summer & Winter Times. ads@ravenwords.com 218-365-3375

Ely Northland Market Ely Recreation Center Ely Winter Tourism Ely-Winton History Museum Gators Cafe Grand Ely Lodge Hidden Valley Chalet International Wolf Center Memorial Field Miners Dry Building North American Bear Center

43 P 47 46 40 37 53 51 39 36 30

The Ely Summer Times

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Pioneer Rd

N

44

Hwy 88

Savoy Rd

17 Ave

N 45

Vermilion Community College 46

50

2

14 Ave

47

Sheridan St. 48 52

Hwy 169 to Winton/Fernberg Trail 49

51 Hi dd

Cemetery

Kawishiwi Tri en

R Hwy 1 to Airport and North Shore

Ely

Rd .

Hidden Valley Chalet & Recreation Area

N

W

Va lle y

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E

S Pillow Rock R&R Transfer Recycling Center Spirit of the Wilderness Steam and Dream Studio North Fitness Center Trezona Trail US Customs US Forest Service Visitor Center VCC Theatre Veterinary Clinic

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Q 44 R 48 41 45 N 50 50 46 35

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OUTBOARD REPAIR

Joe’s Marine and Repair. Evinrude sales and service. Mechanics on duty Monday through Saturday. Our show room is full of boating accessories for “Fun on the Water.” 25 W. Chapman St., 218-365-6264

PADDLEBOARDS AND SAUNAS

Delivered by Steam and Dream Inc. to your home, cabin, or rental. Book online at SteamandDream.com or call 218-504-9277.

Located at 1221 E. Sheridan St. in Ely. Moose Lake Snowbank 17 Lake

Cloquet Line

1

2

7 5 4

Rt 88

23

Shagawa Lake

Fernberg

6

Winton

Lake One Garden Lake

9

Ely

10

Farm Lake

White Iron Lake

Hwy 169

22 To Tower, Soudan, Virginia

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Fall Lake

Echo Tr

Burntside Lake

South Kawishiwi

Hwy 1

Hwy 21

12

Bald Eagle Lake

15 14

Bear Island Lake

24

Hwy 1

Birch Lake Tomahawk Tr

Hwy 21 To 21 Embarrass

To Isabella Lake

13 Babbitt Tomahawk Tr

To Isabella, Lake Superior

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Maps of the Ely Area Adventure Seaplanes Airport Alder Inn Aronson Boat Works Bass Lake Trail Bearhead State Park Bois Forte Heritage Ctr Camps du Nord & Widji Camp Northern Lights Camp Van Vac Camp Voyageur

22 12 13 22 2 22 22 1 24 23 10

Docks on Wheels Embarrass Timber Hall Janisch Realty Kawishiwi Falls Koschak Farm Lake Vermilion State Pk LaTourell’s Outfitters Longbranch Marjo Motel Nelimark Museum

22 21 22 6 4 22 17 5 22 21

Nordic Home North Outdoor Learning Center River Point Resort Silver Rapids Lodge Soudan Mine State Park Timberjay Newspaper Tofte Lake Center Vermilion Trap Club Veterans on the Lake Voyageur Outward Bound White Wilderness

22 7 14 9 22 22 16 5 7 15 20

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The Ely Summer Times

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The Jake Forsman Memorial Car Show

Ely Area Calendar Summer 2021 For the most up-to-date event information go to www.ely.org, check posters, the local papers, and the Ely Shopper. “What’s Up Ely” Facebook page is a great source for current info whether it’s a lost dog or a big concert. Due to changing Covid 19 status, there is much uncertainty about gatherings, so this calendar is incomplete and could be inaccurate. Find locations on the maps on pages 39-42; church addresses on page 24. Call phone numbers (area code is 218 unless noted) for more info or to register, or search online for websites and FaceBook pages. VCC = Vermilion Community College

Find the ELY FOLK SCHOOL CLASS SCHEDULE at www.ElyFolkSchool.org Find more ELY COMMUNITY ED classes at www.ElyClasses.org Classes in GREEN are especially for children

MAY

22 24, all day 26, 4pm 27-28, 7-4

JUNE

4, 4:30-7 5, 11 & 1 5, 1-3 5, 7pm 7 or after 7-11 7-9, 9-12 7, 8-5:30 8, 10am 9, noon 10, 10-2 11, 7 pm 12-13 12, 9am-4pm 44

City-wide rummage sales and store sales, ely.org for map Ely Public Library re-opens (with Covid restrictions) Estate Planning, free class, ElyClasses.org Wilderness First Aid, register at ElyClasses.org or 235-2189

Ely area Ely Public Library Zoom VCC

Open House with refreshments and property tours Tofte Lake Center Studio North Recital, “We Shall Dance” 365-2493 for tickets Whiteside Park Chuck Dayton exhibition opener and book signing Art & Soul Gallery Ely Memorial High School Graduation Washington Aud Register for Summer Reading Program, all ages, prizes, 365-5140 Ely Public Library Pick up a Kids Activity Kit about Potatoes Ely Public Library Ely Arts & Heritage Children’s Art Camp, grades 1-6 ElyGreenstone.org Miners Dry Babysitting Class, certification, ages 11-15. Preregister at ElyClasses.com VCC TaiJiQuan for 60+, 12-week session starts, Tues & Thur, 365-8019 Ely Rec Center Art Show for Children’s Art Camp, all welcome, free Miners Dr Hazardous Waste Disposal for households Ely Joint Public Works, Hidden Valley Rd. Arena Dance Performance, contemporary pieces Tofte Lake Center Wolf Family Rendezvous, ages 6+, wolf.org,365-HOWL Int’l Wolf Ctr National Sauna Day Celebration, free events, music Nelimark Museum Embarrass The Ely Summer Times

12 11am-4pm 14-18 14-18 14-15 16, 7pm 18-20 18-20 18, 5-8pm 21-25 23, 4pm 24, 11-1 25, 7pm 28-7/2 30, 7pm

JULY

Mary Casanova book signing for Waterfall, 365-6245 Piragis Bookstore Cecilia Rolando Trunk Show opening Art & Soul Gallery and Gift House Janet Gensler Memorial Run, 4 on the 4th, active.com to register Trezona Trail Ely 4th of July, kid activities and 1pm parade Whiteside Park Fireworks (Please donate $ at City Hall) Over Miner’s Lake

© EricShermanImages

2, 12-2 3, 1-3 4, 8 am 4, 11am-4pm 4, dusk

Walleye Whamma Fishing Contest, 827-3464 Birch Lake Beach, Babbitt Ely Golf Club Youth Lessons, ages 8-14, elymngolfclub.com, 365-5932-Ely Golf Course Pick up a Kids Activity Kit about Pop Ely Public Library Jr. Wolf Biologist Mini-Camp, ages 7+, wolf.org, 365-HOWL Int’l Wolf Center History Night, “The History of our History”, David Kess VCC CL104 Peter Mitchell Fun Days, Carnival and Activities Babbitt DQ Grill and Chill Ely Legion Baseball Classic Veterans Memorial Field Make Your Own Journal art class The Art Corner Pick up a Kids Activity Kit, “Up in the Air” Ely Public Library Estate Planning, free class, ElyClasses.org Zoom Ely Track Team Fundraiser Brat &. Burger Sale Ely Northland Market Summer Musical “The Rainbow Fish” Northeast Range School Aud, Babbitt Pick up a Kids Activity Kit about Color Ely Public Library History Night, Orthodox Christianity on the Iron Range VCC CL104

4th of July 2020 at Carefree as residents watched a parade just for them 2021

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Weekly Events

Visit wolf.org and bear.org for daily programs for all ages at the Int’l Wolf Center and the Bear Center.

Most locations are on the map pages 39-42, church addresses are on page 50 Activities are open to the public, but registration may be required. Child-focused activities are in GREEN.

Mon-Fri noon Senior Dinners, register 24-hrs ahead, 365-4139 Ely Senior Center Mon, Wed 8am Drop-in Spin Class, beginners welcome, hmsfunctionalfitness.com Heavy Metal Sports Mon-Thur 1-3 Afternoon Adventures with ECR free, 6/14-8/19, 365-5254 Varies, call for info Mon 4:30 Ely Women’s Golf League, 6/7-8/30, 365-7853 Ely Golf Club Mon, Wed 5:15 pm Drop-in TRX Class, all abilities, hmsfunctionalfitness.com Heavy Metal Sports Tue 12-1 Tuesday Group Speakers lacey.squier@gmail for email notices Zoom or Grand Ely Lodge Tues 8-12 Children’s arts, crafts, and nature activities, 365-5254 to register Children’s Garden Tue 2-5 Pioneer Mine Shaft House tours, 6/4-9/3 Arts and Heritage Center Tue 5-7 Farmers Market and Artists Market Whiteside Park Tues, Thur Film series Summer Classics, elystatetheater.org for times Ely State Theater Wed, 5:30am Early Morning Spin, experienced, hmsfunctionalfitness.com Heavy Metal Sports Wed 10:30 Memory and Movement, Senior Exercise, free, 365-8019 Ely Senior Center Wed 1-3 Senior Bingo, age 55+ Ely Senior Center Wed 5-dark Vermilion Range Trap Club open Winton near Longbranch Wed 6pm Wine Society, tastings and appetizers, 365-6010 Northern Grounds Society Hall Wed, Sun Film series Stages on Screen, elystatetheater.org for times Ely State Theater Wed, Fri 8 pm Howling Safari (August only) 365-HOWL Int’l Wolf Center Thurs 10:30 Community Exercise for seniors, free 365-8019 First Lutheran Church Thur 5:30-7 Ely Community Health Center free clinic 111 S. 4th Ave E. Thurs 6 pm Game night, Smear and Cribbage alternate weeks Ely Senio Center Fri 9 am Pre-School Story Time, 365-5140, Ely Library live on Facebook for this summer Fri 3-6 Pioneer Mine Shaft House tours, Memorial Day-Labor Day Art and Heritage Center Sat 8:30 pm Howling Safari (Sept-Oct only) 365-HOWL Int’l Wolf Center Sun 1-3 Vermilion Range Trap Club open Winton, near Longbranch Sundays Church Services, see Spiritual Gatherings, page 50 Ely Churches Sisu Yarn Shop had open knitting gatherings once Covid cases decrease. Call 365-6613 for info.

Ely Pickleball

Register to participate at ElyClasses.org. Walk-ins are welcome at $5 per person per time.

M, W, F 8-10 Pickleball, Open Play, 5/8-9/30, elyclasses.com High School Pickleball Courts M, W, F 10-12 Pickleball, Level Play 5/8-9/30, elyclasses.com High School Pickleball Courts T, TH 8-12 Pickleball, Lessons/Ladder, 5/8-9/30 High School Pickleball Courts PICKLEBALL NOTE: Please don’t park in the high school parking lot as there will be construction traffic

Drop-In Yoga or Pilates

Due to the need for social distancing, there are no drop-in classes as of May. That could change through the summer. Here is contact info for places that teach classes.

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Raven’s Wing, 218-365-4322 Heavy Metal Sports, hmsfunctionalfitness.com Studio North, 218-365-2439 or FB Tofte Lake Center, check back in 2022 The Ely Summer Times

Reflections Dance Company

Work & Play Aug 12-14 Ely State Theater 218-248-2227

5-6 Jr. Wolf Biologist Mini-Camp, ages 7+, wolf.org, 365-HOWL Int’l Wolf Center 6-9 Pick up a Kids Activity Kit about Water Ely Public Library 9-11 Sir G’s Mid-Summer Legion Baseball Classic Veterans Memorial Field 9, 5-7pm Kids Art Experience, Jointed Paper Dolls, TheArtCorner.net The Art Corner 11, 3pm Diane Jarvi Concert Apostolic Lutheran Church, Embarrass 12-16 Pick up a Kids Activity Kit “Creative in the Kitchen” Ely Public Library 14-18, 10-6 42nd annual Ely Watercolor Club Exhibit and Sale, free admission Miners Dry Sad to say this was cancelled due to Covid concerns. Watch for the best show ever in July 2022!

14, 7pm History Night, Karelian Fever and Peacemaking VCC CL 104 19-23 Pick up a Kids Activity Kit about Birds Ely Public Library 21, 4pm Passing on the Family Cabin, free class, ElyClasses.org Zoom 23-25 40th Annual Blueberry Arts Festival Whiteside Park 23, 5-8pm Painted Bouquet using Acrylics, TheArtCorner.net The Art Corner 26-30 Pick up a Kids Activity Kit about Holes Ely Public Library 27-8/1 8th District Division II Junior Legion Playoffs Veterans Memorial Field 28, 7pm History Night, Northern Bedrock Projects in the Ely area VCC CL104

AUGUST

31 31 2-6 6, 5-7pm 7, 10-12 7, 1-3 pm 9-13 12-14, 7:30pm 15, 1:30pm 14-15, 10am 14, 1-4pm 14, 11:30 to?

14, 7pm 16-20 20, 5-8pm 21-22, 9-2 23-27 27-29 30? 2pm 2021

AltaZmeja Golf Tournament & Fishing Contest, 365-6539 Ely Golf Club/Shagawa Lk Wildlife Career Day, Ages ages 12+, wolf.org, 365-HOWL Int’l Wolf Center Pick up a Kids Activity Kit about Science Principles Ely Public Library Kids Art Experience, Mini Journals, TheArtCorner.net The Art Corner Breakfast in the Garden, Gardner Trust celebration, 365-5254 Whiteside Park “Ancient Cedars” traveling exhibit opens Art & Soul Gallery and Gift House Pick up a Kids Activity Kit about Mazes Ely Public Library Work & Play, multi-media dance program by Reflections Dance Co. Ely State Theater Work & Play, multi-media dance program by Reflections Dance Co. Ely State Theater 13th Annual Ely Watercross Race, 235-1260 Fall Lake at Longbranch Chalk Festival, all ages welcome to learn and draw Ely Public Library parking lot Rotary Auction Fundraiser, food,, music. Bidding starts 3pm elyrotary.org Whiteside Park Live Music Concert at Watercross Longbranch Pick up a Kids Activity Kit about Flashlights Ely Public Library Painting with Paper and Acrylics, TheArtCorner.net The Art Corner Wolf Family Rendezvous, ages 6+, wolf.org, 365-HOWL Int’l Wolf Ctr Pick up a Kids Activity Kit “Can You Believe This?”

Ely Public Library Annual Embarrass Regional Fair Embarrass Timber Hall Golden Gals Golf Day, 365-7853 Ely Golf Club 47

SEPTEMBER • OCTOBER • NOVEMBER

3-6 7, 1-3pm 10-12 Sept TBA 12, 4pm 12, 4-6:30pm 17-19 10-12 24, 7 pm 25, 7:30 and 8am 25, 8:45am Oct TBA Oct TBA Oct, TBA Oct 2-3 Oct 2-3 Oct 12, 10-1 Oct 2, 10-4 Oct 23-24 Nov TBA

Fest DuNord, concert and music for families Camp duNord Nancy Scheibe art exhibition open house Art & Soul Gallery and Gift House 26th Annual Harvest Moon Festival Whiteside Park Listening Point Fundraiser 365-8889, listeningpointfoundation.org Grand Ely Lodge Conservationists With Common Sense Annual Mtg & Raffle Whiteside Park Community Night Out, music, chili, pie984-3012 Seitaniemi Housebarn Embarrass ATV Ride, Rally, and MN Convention Ely, Tower, Babbitt, Embarrass Women & Wolves Weekend, ages 21+, wolf.org, 365-HOWL Int’l Wolf Center 5K Northern Lights Glow Run, all ages and abilities Whiteside Park Ely Marathon and BW Bank 1/2 marathon elymarathon.com Ely Area Dorothy’s Root Beer Kids Marathon, kids run 25 miles before race day Ely Area Tracking the Pack Wolf Research weekend, 365-HOWL, wolf.org Int’l Wolf 100+ Women Who Care, all women welcome Senior Center Center Lost Forty Concert, music and folklore of Great Lakes, NLAA VCC Theater Wolf Photography Weekend, ages 18+, wolf.org, 365-HOWL Int’l Wolf Center Wolves after Dark, ages 12+, wolf.org, 365-HOWL Int’l Wolf Center Open House for students, parents, and anyone else, 235-2193 VCC Admissions Jake Forsman Memorial Car Show & Burnout Competition Chapman St. Wolf Family Rendezvous, ages 6+, wolf.org,365-HOWL Int’l Wolf Ctr NLAA Fall show, “It’s a Wonderful Life”, northernlakesarts.org VCC Theater

Monthly Events (Open to all, visitors welcome!)

Art Exhibition Open House, Art and Refreshments Art & Soul Gallery Caregiver Support Group, 365-8019 Ely Hospital Conf. Rm B Food Shelf Open, 235-8527 15 W. Conan Writers’ Group, any genre, 235-1984 Boathouse Brewpub Heart of the Woods Quilters, 365-4907 LedgeRock Comm. Church

© Kahsha Hyde

1st Saturday 1-3pm 4th Monday, 10am 3rd Wednesday 11-6pm 1st Thursday, 5-7pm, 4th Thursday, 6:30pm

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The Ely Summer Times

Ely Field Naturalists

This is a large, active group whose members share information on the natural world, mostly in the Ely area, such as photos from trail cams and sightings of rare species. They organize field trips, plan service projects and citizen science activities, have special interest groups such as the Lichen Club, and–when Covid eases up–will have monthly meetings with expert presenters. They also have a well-stocked resource center upstairs of NAPA on Chapman St. with an extensive library and equipment that can be borrowed. To join go to Google Groups and search for Ely Field Naturalists. If you don’t have internet or a Google account, check at the resource center when someone is present.

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Just as this was going to press the governor announced loosening restrictions by July 1. No doubt there will be changes to these listings. Call for updates.

Ely Spiritual Gatherings Current MN mandates for Covid19, including masks and social distancing when required, will be expected for in-person services.

FB means service is live on Facebook.

Berean Baptist Church 2281 Hwy 169 365-5413 Sun 10:30 Ely Gospel Church 3 E Allaire St 365-5272 Wed 6pm, Sun 10 and 6 FB First Lutheran Church LC MS 915 E Camp St 365-3348 Sun 10:30 First Presbyterian Church 226 E Harvey St 365-5130 Sun 11, YouTube Grace Lutheran Church ELCA 301 E Conan St 365-5605, call for in-person Sun 9:30, FB Ledgerock Comm. Church 1515 E Camp St 365-4890 Sun 9:30, FB Oasis Int’l Church Ely Senior Center 235-1151 Sun 10, FB Call for midweek service times. They are always held, but times vary.

Praise Fellowship Christian 302 E Boundary St 365-6033 Sun 10 St. Anthony’s Catholic Church 231 E Camp St 365-4017 Sat 5 pm, Sun 10 T, Th, F 8am St. Mary’s Episcopal Church 715 S Central Av 365-4914 Sun 9:30, outdoors and Zoom United Methodist Church of Ely 305 E Camp St 365-3355 Sun 10, FB

Ely Area 12-Step Meetings

AlAnon Babbitt Woodland Presbyterian Church, upstairs Thu 7 pm Embarrass Family Group, Hope Lutheran Church Mon 6 pm Alcoholics Anonymous Ely Women’s Meeting, Open – Ledgerock Church Mon noon Miracle on Camp St, Open – 1st Lutheran Church Mon 7 pm Babbitt Big Book, Open – Zoom only, dcm8@area35.org Tue 7 pm Ely. Wednesday Night Open – 1st Lutheran Church Wed 7:30 pm Lake Vermilion 12x12 - Zoom, dcm8@area35.org Thu 6:30 pm Back to Basics, open – Woodland Presbyterian Church, Babbitt Thu 7 pm Happy, Joyous, and Free, Closed – Presbyterian Church Ely Fri 7 pm Ely Saturday Night, Open – 1st Lutheran Church Sat 7:30 pm NA Started new in April – 1st Lutheran Church Fri 7 pm For details about area AA meetings check at www.area35.org or call 218-749-3387.

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The Ely Summer Times

Ely Update here are so many new opportunities in Ely this summer!

You can learn horseback riding, use a potter’s wheel or a blacksmith forge, take a chartered plane flight, have a sauna delivered to your back yard, visit the new wolf pups, and YAY! at last you can “go show” right here in Ely!

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Watch them grow! After delaying adoption for a year due to Covid, the International Wolf Center will be getting two or three pups in May. They weren’t born as this went to press, but by the time you’re reading this they will have started their socializing process, which begins at about 12 days old. Programs

are planned for summer to introduce the pups to the public to overcome their natural inclination to avoid humans, as well as humans’ inclination to fear wolves. In-person visits may require preregistration and group size limits due to Covid. Updates, webinars, and webcam viewing will be available at wolf.org

It may look like a mess in May, but

by July this pocket park next to Potluck on Chapman Street will have greenery, benches, a small performance area, and play space for kids. Cold refreshments will be available at the Potluck back door. It’s the perfect spot to sit down with

a take-out meal from one of the nearby restaurants, take a break from shopping, organize a play date, or enjoy an ice cream cone. This is just one of many projects in Ely funded partially by Iron Range Resource and Rehabilitation. The new visitor center is another.

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At long last, the Ely Folk School is back to in-person classes, with whatever Covid protections are mandated or make student groups comfortable. The ceramics program is up and running with five pottery wheels and plenty of space for social distancing. Both introductory and more advanced classes are planned for the summer.

How about making your own cheese?

You may never have realized how many different kinds of cheese there are and how relatively simple it is to fine tune it to your taste preference. There’s plenty more to discover. Explore class offerings on the posters in the window at 229 E. Sheridan or at ElyFolkSchool.org. The school also welcomes volunteers and new instructor proposals, and it’s a great place to make new friends and get involved in the Ely community.

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What child wouldn’t love to ride this adorable pony?! Echo Valley Stables and Hamilton Horsemanship have teamed up to offer lessons, horse boarding, and public horse rides. The stable has a range of affordable options for providing pasture, feeding, and shelter for horses, with access to riding trails on their 100-acre ranch and connection to more miles through Superior National Forest. Lessons for ages five and up are offered for one or two people, helmets provided. Future plans include group lessons and horse training. The ranch is located at the old Robich farm west of Ely. An open house is planned for sometime this summer– watch the papers for a notice.Go to calendly.com/hamiltonhorsemanship for lessons and rides, EchoValleyStables.net for boarding and rides. Or call 218-4104244.

The Ely Summer Times

© Keith Vandervort, Timberjay

The Ely Public Library will open on May 24th with some continuing Covid protection, at least to start with. The number of guests will be limited, but there will be in-person browsing. Special projects for the kids will come in takeout kits, one each week. The summer reading program will provide fun and learning for all ages with prizes for those who complete their reading goals.

Most exciting, 12 new stained glass panels will be crafted and installed by local artists. Funded by grants from the state and from Ely’s Gardner Trust, the panels depict the area’s culture, both past and present. Watch for the first of these to be hung early in the summer with completion of the project sometime next fall.

Design work on the library’s stained glass panels

A new business at the location of the former Katz Liquor, Steam and Dream will be offering paddleboard rentals all summer. By fall they will have four rental saunas heated with Kuuma wood stoves that can be delivered anyplace with a reasonable road. These little buildings on wheels are easy to use and feature a window that allows saunagoers to enjoy the scenery while they pursue this healthful practice. Keith and Anna, the couple who have moved to Ely to start the business, also offer two Air BnBs in Ely. SteamandDream.com 2021

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Rocking chairs and flip-up arm rests at Greenstone 54

Blueberry Borealis Hard Cider was first introduced to Ely at the State Theater in May, and will be served there this summer. The refreshing flavor, light carbonation, and pink-lemonade color make it a perfect drink for hot summer nights.

But the best news from the theater is that it can now operate at full capacity.

After having to close last summer just as movies were once again showing in Ely, the Theater managed to keep afloat, eventually showing films to small audiences seated far apart. The second, more intimate Greenstone Cinema theater opens just as the full capacity ruling goes into effect late May. You can see what’s playing in both theaters at ElyStateTheater.org.

Two film series are planned for the summer. The “Summer Classics” series shows on Tuesdays and Thursdays and changes every two weeks. It includes such old favorites as Dirty Dancing and and Blue Brothers. The “Stages on Screen” series will be Wednesdays and Sundays, changing every three weeks.

There will also be live performances, including the popular multi-media Reflections Dance Company show August 12-14. This year’s show is Work and Play, reflecting the ways Elyites spend their lives. A spectacular magic show is scheduled for September 11th.

The Ely Summer Times

There isn’t enough room in this whole magazine to tell about the many new and exciting developments in the Ely area. Check the Ely Echo and Timberjay newspapers for updates on the Prospector Loop ATV and nonmotorized Mesabi trails, the coming access to broadband in Ely’s more remote locations, and the merger of Ely Northland Market and Zup’s Grocery that will occupy the former Shopko building. A $20 million construction project at the school will remove the old

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Industrial Arts building, connect Memorial High and the Washington Elementary, and provide new space for a common secure entry, the cafeteria, a gymnasium, the media center, and classrooms and offices. There will also be improvements at both existing buildings. Details are in the Feb. 27, 2021 issue of the Ely Echo. Support our community newspapers with a subscription to keep up on the latest news and help ensure we don’t lose our print editions.

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The author with her perfectly-crusted pastries

Folk Cooking

Article and photos by Lacey Squier

olk (adjective): of or originating among the common people.

Among the common people… We common people exist to this very day! I consider myself one of them. But it would be wise for the Ely Folk School to refrain from hosting classes about common folksy behavior of overspending at Target. And so the word “folk” seems to take on an aspirational and romantic tone.

Did you know that 300,000 years ago the innovation of cooking launched

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our human ancestors into a new realm of conscious living? To cook is to use fire to pre-digest foods outside the body, allowing for more complete digestion.

Human brains are unique compared with the brains of other animals, not because of their size, but because of the density of neurons in the cerebral cortex–density made possible by high calorie consumption courtesy of cooked (which is to say pre-digested) food.

Those extra neurons give us the ability to plan ahead, to look back, and to learn from our mistakes.

The Ely Summer Times

Folk art (noun): Artistic works produced typically in cultural isolation by untrained often anonymous artists or by artisans of varying degrees of skill; marked by such attributes as highly decorative design, bright bold colors, strong forms in simple arrangements, and immediacy of meaning.

Immediacy of meaning. This is how I shall think of biscuits and gravy. This is how I shall think of blueberry pie. A girl’s gotta eat, right?

From Grandma’s pies to the first sourdoughs of the people of the Nile

Valley (and back and back and back), humans have been cooking for over 300,000 years! Not everyone is responsible for putting the food on their tables; but for those of us who are, this is among our most important and urgent tasks.

In my family I am that person who is charged with food-related matters: organizing the kitchen and pantry; grocery shopping; meal planning; cooking and kitchen clean-up. If I did not like this work it would bear the heaviest burden of drudgery. Multiple meals a day for the rest of all time?!

The Ely Folk School kitchen with a Canoe Museum display above

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Certainly there are days when energy is low and the acts are artless.

But the good days are inspired; they are colorful, like the broom hanging in my kitchen by the mudroom door. Handharvested hardwood and hand-dyed rainbow-colored broom corn. The definition of functional art–art with an immediacy of meaning, if you will.

If I must sweep, let it be with a folksy broom. If I must cook, let the food be of bright colors and strong forms in simple arrangements.

Folksy (adjective): very informal, familiar; belonging to the common people.

Pies are deliciously folksy. They’ve been around for centuries. People the world over celebrate local variations of humble pies and pastry parcels.

Perhaps I love pie because it’s

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communal, meant for sharing. Perhaps I like pastry crust and its infinite offspring because it’s familiar, and familial. First, Mary Louise taught me how to make the quintessential Ely Methodist Church version of the Cornish pasty. Then I tried my hand at Great-grandma Evelyn’s lemon custard pie. After that I was emboldened to roll on with strawberry rhubarb and wild blueberry pies, in their respective seasons. Last December I made 35 chicken pot pies to give away as gifts.

I love pie as a low-fuss indulgence.

Pie is decadent, yet inherently rustic.

Yes, one can spend hours futzing with decorative elements, but I prefer to slap the top on, crimp the edges, and call it a day. Some special pies might get a lattice top or a sprinkling of coarse sugar.

The Ely Summer Times

I used to think of pie as tricky. It’s not. Pie simply asks its maker to understand a few fundamental things: Every pastry crust includes a flour, a fat, a liquid. Beware of over-mixing, and try to keep the ingredients cold. But worry not! The kitchen won’t explode if you overwork the dough. A tough crust won’t kill you. A soggy crust won’t either.

With this in mind, and with confidence that you’ll figure it out sooner or later (as humans have done over the course of 300,000 years) you may just end up with a majestically flaky yet sturdy vessel for anything you’d want to eat. A make-ahead beauty of infinite variety. A freezer-friendly meal for when you’re tired, but standards are high. A sweet indulgence at the end of a day. A charming way to say, “I want to give you something special.” Art with an immediacy of meaning, traded among the common people.

I may have never developed said kitchen confidence had it not been for that pasty class at the Ely Folk School.

There in that golden kitchen, Mary Louise showed our group how to determine when the fat and flour were properly unevenly distributed. She gave us eyes for liquid ratios and empowered us to press loose crumbs back where they belong before wrapping the dough and letting it take a little nap in the fridge. Trust it to do its thing; it has been for centuries.

Join me in practicing the folk art of home cooking by registering for one of my virtual or on-site Ely Folk School classes, including strawberry rhubarb pie and blueberry hand pies.

Visit ElyFolkSchool.org for a full class roster.

The Ely Folk School displays information about upcoming classes in their window at 209 E. Sheridan St. Depending on Covid restrictions, they will be open for drop-in visits when staff is available. Some of Lacey’s online classes are free and available from anywhere there is internet service.

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Books for Summer hen a forest fire along Highway 1 threatened the town of Ely a few years ago, the big yellow air tankers helped douse the flames and save our town from the fate so many others, especially in California, have suffered.

Author Polly Carlson, who had watched these planes scooping water from a

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Boundary Waters lake some years prior, decided it was time to write the children’s book that had been incubating in a creative corner of her mind. And here it is: Big Yellow, Firefighting Superstar. Illustrator Consie Powell was excited to collaborate with Polly to create a book for children about one plane new to the fire world.

Their tanker has a personality that will resonate with youngsters trying some new challenge as well as prepare them for a potentially scary time when such a plane could be working on a fire near them. The satisfying end of the story is followed by a non-fiction section to help answer all those questions kids are likely to ask. How much water can the plane scoop? How was it built? Why are there forest fires? Do helicopters and little planes work on fires too?

Consie and Polly, Ely residents, have created many other popular children’s books, but this is the first time they’ve worked together. Published by Elybased Legacy Bound, Inc, which is part of Legacy Toys, Big Yellow is sure to be as big a hit as their past titles. This book and their others are available in various shops in town and can also be found at the Ely Public Library.

The Ely Summer Times

For the young adult readers this summer, there is Waterfall, the newest title by Mary Casanova. For readers who enjoyed Mary’s previous titles set along Rainy Lake, northwest of Ely on the Canadian border, this will be a book they’ve been looking forward to. Some of the same characters and many of the same settings will be familiar from Frozen and Ice-Out, but all three books can be enjoyed in any order.

Set in the early days of women having the right to vote, the novel follows 21-year-old Trinity–a talented artist who has been accepted at the Sorbonne–as she struggles to find a balance between her self-determination and the more submissive behavior her parents would prefer. At the island summer home where she finds peace in nature, she also finds conflict with her powerful family.

“A deeply satisfying read, it shows that one can go over the waterfall and still survive,” says author Mary Logue of this book. The waterfall is metaphorical as well as a real spot important to Trinity’s love of the wild places. No need to be a young adult to enjoy this story; old adults will find it perfect for a rainy afternoon on the cabin porch.

The author will be available to talk with readers and sign copies of her book at Piragis’ bookstore on July 2nd and at the Blueberry Festival, where she will have copies of her many popular children’s picture books such as One Dog Canoe and Otterly Day. 2021

The subtitle says a lot about Hudson Bay Bound: two women, one dog, two thousand miles to the Arctic. The author, Natalie Warren, and her best friend, Ann Raiho, were the first women to make the journey from Minneapolis to Hudson Bay that was originally set down in book form by Eric Severeid in the 1935 classic, Canoeing with the Cree.

From planning the three-month expedition to completing the adventure of a lifetime, the author gives the reader an insider view of the perils and pleasures of wilderness tripping.

Laced alternatively with humor and horror, the story enumerates hardships and harrowing moments. Such as this: “Now, if a big wave hit our boat the wrong way, if we tipped, we could feasibly swim to land and live out our days on an island–maybe start a twoperson village...or eat each other.”

Shortly after that thought a big wave DID hit their boat the wrong way and...you’ll have to read it for yourself.

Ann Bancroft’s foreword is well worth the reading, especially if you are someone who has experienced a big expedition and know you’re not likely to do anything quite so grand again.

I don’t know if this author is going to end up in Ely. But she lives in the Cities and is a paddler, so it seems likely she’d be off on a Boundary Waters trip once in a while. Maybe you can bump into her in a restaurant and get your copy of her book signed, or better yet, on a portage.

This would be great trail reading.

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Enjoy Canoe Country all year with The Boundary Waters Calendar!

© Gary Hamer

© Steve Piragis

$13.95 at your favorite stores, by mail, phone, or online + $6 per shipping address. MN delivery add 6.875% sales tax.

© Layne Kennedy

PO Box 188, Ely, MN 55731 • 218-365-3375 • www.RavenWordsPress.com

Ely is not noted for its racial diversity. In these times when the Black Lives Matter movement gets a plethora of media attention, it is easy to forget that here in northeastern Minnesota our largest population of non-white people is Native American. These books give us the perspective of one Ojibway woman in the way many black authors have done. As We Have Always Done “has gifted us with a field guide not to mere political resistance but to deep and holistic Transformation” according to one reviewer. Noopiming, which means “in the woods” is a novel that is intellectually challenging both as literature and as a commentary on colonialism. Fragments of poetry and prose bring the reader into the Anishinaabe way of storytelling as an essential element of the good life.

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Neither climate change nor diabetes is a cheerful subject, but both can provide awareness, and with awareness, and beyond despair, hope. This book is like that. Little stories and momentary reflections build to a necessity of optimism. Watershed, Attending to Body and Earth in Distress–the title describes the topic of this book, but it is the tone that makes it a good read.

Buried in the stories, and sometimes making it to the surface, are instructions for living a good life, healing our bodies, our selves, our surroundings, and our planet. The connection is water. Water is life in this book, as well as in our real everyday lives. And when the water in our lives isn’t healthy, neither are we.

Beginning with memories from a childhood nurtured by rivers and lakes, The Ely Summer Times

Watershed follows the streams and the tributaries that connect us to our world and to each other. The author tells her students’ stories of being driven from their homelands by climate disruption and coming to Minnesota where the water must seem like a wealth beyond belief to a person from a droughtstricken African country. From a gentle river to an ICU bed, Ranae Hanson weaves a connection of humanity like a watershed collects the essence of the land it flows through.

Reading good books doesn’t always have to be pleasurable. Books also give us perspective from others who think differently and have convictions as strong as our own, but in a world that presents polar opposites as the only choices, north to our south. Ely experienced the unsettling power of such a book this spring when the high school English teacher assigned the memoir I’m Still Here to one class. This fueled a flurry of debate through letters to the editor in Ely’s local newspapers, starting with a father’s concern, moving on to a yes-no argument, and finally eliciting educational philosophy statements from students and teachers.

Such is the power of the written word. In this time of seeking racial justice, we are all confronted with opinions that differ from our own, but we need to get past metaphorical black and white thinking.

The balance between freedom of speech and the rejection of hate speech has no easy answers, but is so worth talking about. If you want to enter this conversation, read the book-or at least part of it, and be thankful we live in a nation where so many divergent opinions can be expressed.

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To end on a more cheerful note, let’s take an armchair trip to Norway along with Minnesotan-Norwegian author Eric Dregni and his son Eilif. What is it that makes Norway consistently at or near the top of the World Happiness Report?

Is it the long legally-mandated vacation?

The miniscule difference between Looking for a quiet rainy day activity?

Visit the many sources of books in Ely. The library doesn’t allow lingering at this moment, but Chapman Street Books has cozy seating, a friendly cat, and the biggest inventory of any bookstore north of the Twin Cities.

Piragis Upstairs Bookstore has seating where you can riffle through regional titles, new bestsellers, and lots of kids books. Most of the gift stores also carry books by local authors.

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Norway’s upper and middle classes (with practically an unpopulated lower class)? The environmental ethic that means more Teslas seen on Norwegian roads in an hour than in a year in Minnesota? More importantly, can all that bliss be exported to America, and if so how?!

Dregni and his son end up staying with friends and relatives, unable to afford the extraordinarily high price of commercial lodging, which is part of the high cost of living in this happy country.

Hence, they get an insider’s view of the Norwegian perspective on democratic socialism, Viking history, and long winter nights.

The glossary of Norwegian words to live by at the book’s end is worth the price of the book. Here’s a sampling: “allemannsretten: everyone’s right to roam free over private property, myggnett: bug netting, hvalburgere: whale burgers, folketrygden: the people’s insurance, and a favorite, elgskrekk: moose terror.

All these books are available through the Ely Public Library and at Piragis’ Upstairs Bookstore.

Please thank our advertisers for providing you with this free publication.

The Ely Summer Times

Just Breathe n a year when breath has been on everyone’s mind, the local Writers Group took on an assignment to write about a breath of fresh air. In Ely, we are lucky to have clean, clear air most of the time, but we have not been spared the pain of the pandemic and all that means

for breath and loss. We are also not far removed from the suffocating death of George Floyd. Air and breath connect us to everyone else, the natural world, and the whole planet in ways made more obvious recently. Here are excerpts from the writers’ essays.

Becca Brin Manlove

air, people here in Ely call the Forest Service, the DNR, WELY–where’s the fire? What–Alberta? But isn’t that like way over north of Montana somewhere?

You sure there’s not something burning just the next lake over?

Out. Smoke is proof our air is whisked across the continent and around the world in a matter of days.

In. Air is shared in such an intimate way, drawn into my nose, mouth, lungs and bloodstream, kisses of oxygen sustaining life.

Out. Oxygen from the cedars in my backyard mix with carbon dioxide from my breath, swirl together in our little

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“Focus on your breath,” says my yoga teacher. “In. Out. Thoughts will come. Let them pass across your mind like clouds across the sky. Return your focus to your breath.”

My thoughts are clouds alright, piling up thicker and thicker, until my mind is as overcast as a November sky pregnant with a snowstorm. Oh yeah, follow the breath. In: want to have a family reunion, any Airbnb-type rentals around here? Out: sharing your home and belongings with strangers. Gutsy.

In. Hmm, am I smelling smoke?

Whenever a haze of smoke colors the

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snow globe, the Earth’s envelope of air.

In. The pandemic illuminates the world-wide sharing of air with such tragedy. Wow. That is a big, dense Thought Cloud.

Out. A prayer–for those struggling for breath and for those caring for them.

Breath as gift and as participant.

Wearing a mask is a responsibility and a kindness.

In. A red squirrel scampers up a white pine. His scolding chirrrr reminds me. We share air, too. The merganser

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momma and her trail of ducklings, the mosquito sipping my oxygen-rich blood, even the walleye fanning lake water through her gills depend on this miracle mix of molecules.

Out. Black spruce, sphagnum moss, and water lilies participate too from the flip side of the mix, taking in carbon dioxide, sending out oxygen.

In–thank you. Thank you: for this gift of air, of being.

Out–help. Help: me remember this gift is communal, shared with all of life on this dear planet.

My body (and its cloudy mind) is an Airbnb, a temporary rental unit for the flow of life. Air in. Air out. Air Be and Be.

The Ely Summer Times

Russ Vanderbloom On a hot July afternoon, Callie might lay low under the canopy of tall red pines, catching stray wisps of afternoon breezes sifting through the cedars lining the shore. The teeming heat of the noon sun proves a good moment to break from the curiositydriven trails her nose followed along early morning paths left about by those unseen but scent-spreading woodland denizens who manage the blooming of buds and hatchings of winged things.

Cal is circling around again, and the sun is just dipping into the saw-toothed skyline of the forest on the far side of the lake. I might have to toss a stick the size of a small tree trunk a couple more times. It’s an Ely summer day kind of pleasure.

Not quite like the pleasures of Ely’s winter, when both land and water are frozen deep and my pup finds pleasure just to follow her nose on the scent line of a grouse on wing or a vole under snow. She might just run to Winton without a thought about it, were I not hot on her trail.

Take Valentine’s Day, 2021. The day after Ely registered a winter’s kiss of -50 degree Fahrenheit from an Arctic vortex wobbling out of control over the shoulder of the globe. I remember it with a chill. It was prime time to roll over with my Valentine and keep warm.

Nuh uh! Not a chance! All our little dog wanted to do was to get up and go out for a breath of fresh air. A run. A sprinted victory lap of life. I followed

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Callie’s protocol each day all winter, including Valentine’s Day. Three times on the road or in woodlands, plus a halfdozen micro-forays on the leash outside the back door. She does her business.

And then she dawdles. Or scouts.

Watches the birds feed. Stares at squirrels. Or, she sits there at the far end of her line, looking rather dour, her ears perked like a nun’s habit, her face a stern sister’s reproach. “Why are you not out here with me!” best describes her expression.

Callie knows, it’s the best. Two below, or 20 below, or minus whatever.

Its good. The air’s clean. No bugs! No oppressive dog days heat! And Cal has learned, Ely’s seasons turn. Winter winds down and warms. Spring splashes with the green up. Summer brings a burst of bugs and bird song, and sky blue waters to swim. And, her eyes tell me, if I launch another log into the lake, it’s time now for another swim. Ely wears summer well. It’s always good for a breath of fresh air.

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Chapman Street Books

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Wind Whisper John Kopp The pavement tickles rubber tire We come to a stop to read the flyer.

The words, a promise of something new Tells our heart it’s special and true.

We also sense beyond the word There’s a hidden message to be heard, About this place where we arrived today, But the message is faint so we pray.

“Tell us more about this place, Away from striving and the race.

For to us this place is enchantingly new Spirit of Place we ask this of you.”

As we pause and look we begin to know How the Creator’s design has made this so.

Waves of energy bring us to life We feel a distance from daily strife.

And discern our pain from tasks mundane.

Will meet the wild, the wind, the rain.

Our senses through a gift from Grace Feel gentle winds that speak from place.

As breezes whisper in our ear With certainty we clearly hear “The heavy weight of your daily load Turns to a feather at this End of the Road.”

Anne Stewart Take the Fernberg, the only road going east out of Ely, and near the end you can turn right onto the gravel Lookout Road. You end up on a high hill where a fire tower once stood. From this vantage you can see miles into the Superior National Forest and roadless Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) where a multitude of lakes lay settled within a landscape full of oxygen exhaling trees.

Since the late 1970s a collection of instruments that monitor the air has been housed on the hill-top, The site is overseen by the U. S. Forest Service. Over the years a variety of agencies have partnered with the Forest Service in a long list of studies and projects including, in the 1980s, one of the earliest collecting of data on acid rain.

Current ongoing data gathering includes analyzing the makeup of air and precipitation chemistry.

Some of the specific chemicals monitored include mercury in precipitation since it falls in lakes and gets into the fish we eat, nitrogen in precipitation since it can fertilize lakes, and ozone and fine particles in the air which affect the quality of what we breathe in—and thus our health.

A screen shot from fsvisimages.com overlooking the BWCA from the end of the Fernberg 68

The Ely Summer Times

Visitors to Ely and the surrounding lakes and forest would not identify haze as a problem, but currently, according to USFS technician Trent Wickman, data is being collected for the State of Minnesota’s plan to improve regional haze in the BWCAW—a digital camera monitors visibility. The BWCAW is a specially protected area under the federal Clean Air Act and as such has a goal of steadily improving visibility.

From the top of Tower hill, you have unfettered visibility and plenty of Fresh Air to inhale. Wickman said, “We have some of the cleanest air in the eastern U.S.–a real asset to be proud of.”

You can visit the site virtually via the online digital camera at https://www.fsvisimages.com.

You can check out the air quality in Ely and surrounding area as monitored

Kes Ebbs The snow is out! The bell has rung!

Students and teachers alike charge through the doors as if the building is on fire. Take it all in! The singing of birds, the summer colors and the fresh air.

Thank God for fresh warm air. Even those of us not locked in a building, with bullets of information being sprayed at us for eight hours a day can appreciate that!

I mean, I’m sure there was a time each of us thought we weren’t making it through the winter! You know; the time you slipped on that random sheet of ice on the sidewalk. Everything slows down, 2021

at the site pca.state.mn.us/air/currentair-quality The clarity of the air in the BWCAW and the fact that this region is uninhabited by humans and free of human-generated light pollution earned it the designation in September 2020 as an International Dark Sky Sanctuary.

The clear air allows visitors to see the full intensity of a star-filled sky and, if lucky, a display of northern lights.

as you seem to float in the air while staring at the sky. Your life flashes before your eyes till you reach that pinnacle moment. You realize you left the heat set to 75 and if you don’t survive this your furnace is going to burn through your kid’s college fund! Yep! It’s good to feel that fresh WARM summer air!

Soak it all in while you can, Ely dwellers! Enjoy that walk to Whiteside Park. Grab those sweets at the Organic Bistro. Let the Pebble dissolve your winter body stress. Jack Frost’s cold, grumpy hands won’t stay out of your wallet for long!

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Rachel Brophy Last year, our world was reminded of the importance of Fresh Air. As a virus first swept across a nation far on the other side of the world, we held our breath. As this new virus proliferated and spread its reach further and wider, we held our breath. As the virus began to arrive on our shores, we held our breath. When it was determined that the world was under siege by a global pandemic, we held our breath.

In the span of less than a year, many people made their way to Ely hoping that for just a moment they could escape and exhale. For many of these visitors, this was their first visit to our little town. People came searching for a place free from the fear that now came with just breathing. I’m sure I’m not the only area resident who held my breath, for fear that with the visitors would come the virus.

Our common desire to breathe fresh air also caused much division.

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Now, after a year that’s felt more like ten, I can feel myself starting to exhale.

Little by little I’m letting go of the fear and confusion caused by the chaos of the last year. I am making room to breathe again like I once did – only better. As I dare to inhale fresh air now, it’s with a new appreciation for the precious resource. As I pick myself up and dust myself off, I breathe with a new view for possibility and hope. Our fresh, clean air reminds me of how much I have in common with everyone on the planet. It is the one most basic thing we have in common. We all need to breathe.

The beauty and calm of this place in the north woods draws people from all over the world. We who call this place home stand as stewards welcoming these people to share our fresh air we’ve so long taken for granted.

We’re fortunate to have so much fresh air up here in Ely, and we can derive great joy in sharing that with a world who longs to once again just breathe.

The Ely Summer Times

Kay Vandervort A breath of fresh air in Ely. So cold and crisp in the depth of winter that it catches like crystals of ice in your throat.

Fresh in spring with hummingbirds flitting to feeders in lilac infused air. Sultry and warm on a long summer night, a hint of breeze rustling across the brow. The breeze is good. It is true. It reminds us of who we are and who we want to be.

But a breath of fresh air in Ely is also the people and their passions. We are the people who speak out and celebrate all there is to be joyful of in this tiny community near where the road just plain stops. We are the people who welcome you and help you find the connections and friendships that enrich your life. We come to your aid in illness or tragedy. We encourage you to speak up, get involved, and to live your own truth.

On our first visit to Ely, it was suggested we visit the Pillow Rock.

“The astronauts trained on it before the first moon launch,” they said. And so we went, following a circuitous route to Main Street which is not, in point of fact, the main street in town. We took our pictures standing in the footsteps of history, albeit separately because the rock only fit one of us comfortably at a time.

We smiled. We breathed deep. And we realized this is the town we would choose to live in.

I have since learned the Pillow Rock with its 2.7 billion years isn’t necessarily the oldest rock in the world or the United States. As for astronauts

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training on it? They didn’t. They visited a similar rock in a different location to learn to identify rock formed beneath primordial seas when volcanic soup came in contact with frigid water.

The deposits of ooze layering one over the other formed the unique pillow shapes we see today.

All of that doesn’t change my truth.

The Pillow Rock, to me, is the iconic image of a breath of fresh air in Ely. It is loved by residents who played on it as kids. It is considered from time to time as being the perfect centerpiece for a nature and geological park. And, it motivates controversy as residents consider whether to move it to a more prominent location and to make it a more visible image of Ely. It inspires our memories and our passions. It invites us to breathe.

So breathe. Breathe deep. And celebrate the Pillow Rock for the truth it is and isn’t.

Breathe deep and celebrate the people of Ely who cherish the Pillow Rock where it is or where it could be located.

Breathe.

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Linda Sutton Breathing 2020 The frigid air I inhale as my dog and I go out at 6:30 on a January morning takes me by surprise. Just yesterday it was temperate. I look at him as he looks at me while we both look at the clouds coming from our mouths. In mutual agreement, we decide to cut it short so that he can efficiently do his business and call it well done. Maybe tomorrow we’ll be mentally prepared for this.

I practice three-part pranayama breathing while doing some yoga stretches. According to Sanskrit teaching it will help to relieve stress, bring my body into balance and help me deal with the fear of a global pandemic.

The memory of the final hours watching my mother’s breath go from fluidly rasping to smooth, then circles around to do it all again until it gently stops.

The breath that I watch pumping in and out under my double mask at the store.

Breathing has been on my mind lately. Something normally so automatic has become an active phenomenon.

As I sip a cup of coffee while catching up on the news I see a hospital where refrigerated trucks hold bodies that have no other repository as the

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morgues and mortuaries are full. I imagine souls who spent their last days breathing with the help of a ventilator while they suffered alone and may have wondered where their children were.

I returned to my home in Ely from Minneapolis after making a solo pilgrimage to the place where a man died with a knee on his neck while he cried out to his mama to help him manage one more breath that was denied. While breathing freely I wonder once again about the young man’s final torturous eight minutes that must have felt like endless days.

Taking a breath, whether cold, threepart or subconscious, can no longer be taken for granted. I could be someone who made the deadly mistake of attending a family wedding reception that led directly to my own funeral. Or I could be a young black man who wrote a bad check and took his last breath on a city street under violent and unfair circumstances.

It's been a hell of a year for breathing. But my dog and I step out on our porch at sunset, and we can ‘t see Russia from there, but if we look real hard, we can see an Ely summer just around the bend, and it feels like a breath of fresh air.

The Ely Summer Times

The Beer That Made Knife Lake Famous addle, paddle, portage, paddle, dip, sip, dip, sip. Drinking water is critical for your health when canoe tripping on a hot day. The Boundary Waters has plenty of fresh,

P

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clean water. So unlike many recreation areas, visitors don’t need to haul their drinking water. People who have traveled here for much of their lives often don’t even treat their water–just

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© Dorothy Molter Museum

dip and sip. (We are not recommending that unless you have studied up on avoiding giardia and other possible pathogens.)

Knife Lake has some of the most inviting water in all of Minnesota–clear, clean, cool, perfect for swimming and slurping. Visitors have been known to take home a bottle-full to share with those who couldn’t make the trip, or just to have as a reminder of a favorite lake.

Water is wonderful, but imagine that after days of hot summer weather and lukewarm water, you come upon an ice cold bottle of root beer. Yum!! That happened for thousands of visitors every summer from 1953 to 1986 when they paddled to the west end of Knife Lake.

Here on the islands that were her home, Dorothy Molter provided first aid and root beer to Canoe Country trippers, and a kind of summer camp to her family.

Originally a fishing camp, her place was called Isle of Pines. (See the 2013 Ely Summer Times for an article about her

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life, archived at RavenWordsPress.com.)

By federal law governing designated wilderness areas, Dorothy was not allowed to operate a commercial business on Knife Lake after 1964. But the law said nothing about providing a beverage for thirsty travelers, so Dorothy didn’t charge for the root beer.

However there wasn’t a single visitor who would dare leave without adding the suggested contribution to the large donation jar, and many deposited more, knowing that Dorothy depended on this income. Most of the time, only two bottles per person could be procured to ensure there would be enough to meet the demand between brewings.

But how on Earth did one old woman make 12,000 bottles of root beer between fishing opener and October?!

That’s where the summer camp aspect comes in. Dorothy never married or had children, but her siblings did, and some of the families enjoyed spending summers on Knife Lake. Her father also spent long months living at Isle of Pines.

Family members paid for their vacations with hard work washing bottles, mixing the root beer, bottling the beverage, hauling ice from the ice house to chill it, and waiting on the paddle-up trade.

You might think that, being a woman who supplemented groceries from town by hunting, fishing, and berry-picking, Dorothy would have dug roots to flavor her soda. Even if she had the time to do that, northern Minnesota doesn’t grow The Ely Summer Times

the roots usually used for root beer flavoring, and harvesting that much of something would have violated wilderness rules and had a negative impact on the forest. So Dorothy used commercial extracts, sugar, bread yeast, and the special secret ingredient–Knife Lake water.

Dorothy was known for being strong and capable, but hauling the supplies to make that much root beer would have left little time to do anything else. The

bottles were cleaned and reused, of course, but hauling the sugar, yeast, and extract from Ely meant plenty of portage trips. Even the family members who came couldn’t keep up with the demand once motorized travel was forbidden. Thankfully, the staff at Voyageur Outward Bound School and the Sommers Boy Scout Canoe Base admired Dorothy and were some of her best customers. They also needed service projects for their groups, and

© Dorothy Molter Museum

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© Kahsha Hyde

paddling supplies to Dorothy’s filled that course requirement. Visiting Isle of Pines taught these young people about a way of life they might never have imagined.

Such education is part of the museum’s mission today.

Volunteer help was important in chilling the root beer too. Along with friends from Ely, Outward Bound staff and students cut ice from Knife Lake and hauled it into Dorothy’s spacious ice house. In the summer, chunks of ice were put into big coolers with the root beer so customers could have that satisfying cold drink. The idea of harvesting winter’s cold by storing ice astonished many summer paddlers who had never heard of an ice house.

When Dorothy died, her cabins were moved to Ely (see Ely Winter Times 1997 article) and the islands returned to their wild state, although today visitors may still find a lilac bush growing there.

The Dorothy Molter Museum serves ice cold root beer and also offers classes in making the beverage in much the same way as Dorothy did.

This Ribbon Rock can be seen along shore at Isle of Pines. It has a story...

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The original recipe made by Dorothy and her family using Knife Lake water and chilled with Knife Lake ice used whatever ingredients were on hand and least expensive. We know that Dorothy frequently used Hires extract and that she always used bread yeast for fermentation.

Champagne yeast, developed specifically for sparkling wine and fruit juices, wouldn’t have been something she’d likely have cottoned to, even if it had been available in Ely. Dorothy just wasn’t a champagne kind of gal. Whatever sugar was on sale was likely to be her choice. We do know that at one time she used A&W syrup, purchased from the Ely A&W. This was a combination extract and sweetener.

The root beer was brewed in an 8gallon crock, funneled into clean bottles, then capped and allowed to ferment for varying lengths of time depending on demand. Stories have it that a few bottles kept over winter in the root cellar had a bit of a kick in the spring.

The root beer that visitors and residents purchase at Ely restaurants and grocery stores is brewed by Gray’s Brewery in Janesville, Wisconsin. Why not in Minnesota? Of course the museum staff would have preferred to do business closer to home, but there wasn’t a facility nearby that would both brew and bottle. Gray’s is a craft brewery that makes beverages using mechanical carbonation rather then The Ely Summer Times

fermentation to ensure product stability for a longer shelf life. Gray’s is one of the rare brewers willing to put the root beer into bottles rather than cans, an important part of carrying on Dorothy’s tradition.

Reusing the bottles, which would seem to be more in keeping with Dorothy’s repair-and-reuse way of life, would actually cause a bigger carbon footprint from shipping than recycling the bottles locally and using new ones at the brewery. In keeping with the museum’s mission of education, the packaging informs the consumer about Dorothy and the Boundary Waters.

A third recipe is the one used today by those who take the root beer brewing class at the Dorothy Molter Museum.

Other than using Ely tap water, which comes from Burntside Lake–another spot with delightfully clear water, the components are about the same: sugar, Hires root beer extract (or another variety if Hires isn’t available), bread yeast, and sugar. There are some details to be learned regarding the mixing, capping, and fermentation period, but it’s not complicated. In 2020 classes were suspended due to Covid, but with a decrease in cases and increase in

vaccinations, Brew-It-Yourself classes will be offered to groups of 4-10 people this summer. Each student takes a 32oz. bottle to ferment at home, and the ability to make their own root beer whenever they wish. Homemade root beer differs from commercial in that each batch is a little different depending on conditions. June root beer is not the same as July root beer–just like at the Isle of Pines.

Knife Lake and its pristine water was the essential ingredient in both

© Dorothy Molter Museum

Dorothy hauling blocks of ice into the ice house to store for chilling root beer in summer 2021

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Dorothy’s root beer and her life. Perhaps you will want to go there yourself, if you haven’t been. The Museum offers an annual canoe trip for women every June.

Check their website, RootBeerLady.com, and Facebook pages for details and for updates on classes and museum visits.

Eddy Falls flows into Knife Lake, adding its sparkle.

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Items from Knife Lake, on display at the Museum The Ely Summer Times

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